Stuff and Things

Another of Life's Adjustments

2011-11-07T16:36:00.001-08:00

Whatcha still doin' hanging around here?!

Life moves on and so do I. Its taken a bit but I've decided to keep on Bloggin' in a new location. Check it out over here. And hey--see you soon!

1 Day

2011-09-16T19:11:00.000-07:00

YAY!!!!

How Are You Feeling?

I am exquisitely happy. FACT.

2 Days

2011-09-15T07:07:00.001-07:00

Just look at that title! AUUGGGHHH!!!

Something Unexpected About Engaged Life

I think the biggest thing I was not expecting with engaged life was the type of challenges we would face. It seemed like most people who would advise me on the difficulties of being engaged focused on struggles with the Law of Chastity--to the degree that I should be always on the ready for THAT to happen. CONSTANT VIGILANCE!!! Check.

However, what everybody failed to mention was the REAL challenge we've had to deal with--doubts and sometimes poopy feelings about this entire thing. I tell you what--Mr. Adversary can be a real BEE-YOTCH sometimes. {Sorry, Mom...} I remember a day (or a series of days?) last month when I could not seem to shake the feeling that by marrying me, Skyler was definitely ruining his life. Yeah--you followed that. I never doubted SKY, I doubted ME! It was c'est pas bien. All the way. Anyway, with a little help from the Man Upstairs, we shook that feeling eventually.

AND...because of these type o' challenges--as unexpected as they were--I can say I love this talk even more. Its fabulous. If you haven't read it, get 'er done. Elder Holland is the bomb-diggety. Fo' Shizzle.

TWO DAYS!!

3 Days

2011-09-14T05:49:00.000-07:00

3 Things I'm Looking Forward to with Married Life

Going to Church on Sundays with Skyler for the whole 3-hour block.
Having fat babies--sometime in the future :)
Vacationing--near and far?--with the love o' my life.

Image from here

4 Days

2011-09-13T07:14:00.000-07:00

My Favorite "Sky Moment" So Far

This was supposed to come on Day 10, but I knew I needed more time to think about it and decide. There have been so many great ones! My man is a GOOD man, after all, and he has regularly been AMAZING in the last several months. So how to pick a favorite?! But...I did.

My favorite "Sky moment" (Catie's phraseology, not mine. But...I like it.) came in August when we went camping overnight with my family. Camping with my fam usually involves eating, lots of fishing, then REPEAT. Sky hadn't been fishing in YEARS, but he was willing to give it a go, so we went fishing! We went fishing Friday AND Saturday. Skyler did, indeed, catch a fish. He baited hooks. He worked on casting out the line. And he even helped clean the fish--in all that bloody glory! It was a great time being together with him and the family.

Overall, it was Sky's willingness to try something I love--even if he had little to no idea of what he was doing!--that makes this my favorite moment. Its just FISHING. No big deal, right? But it was a big deal to me and it made me love him even more.
So there you go. My favorite "Sky Moment" was watching Skyler fish at Teapot Lake in the Uintah Mountains with my funny family. Watching him gut a fish was pretty awesome too.

Image from here

5 Days

2011-09-12T06:59:00.000-07:00

Three Ways You Are Similar;

Three Ways You Are Different

Similarities:

We are both "home bodies" and prefer hanging at home on the couch to going out to large parties and such.
We are both fans of the U--GO UTES!
We are both musically-minded. He plays the guitar and the piano. I pretend to play the guitar and play the piano.

Differences:

Skyler is bilingual to my monolingual. And he speaks French on a fairly regular basis. I don't understand him 7/8 of the time when he does that, but its fun all the same.
We naturally communicate differently (even when we're both speaking English)--but we're getting better at understanding one another. My "say it like it is and what it IS is exactly what I'm thinking right now" Red Personality approach doesn't always jive with Sky's more mellow, low-key approach to life. I really should try to be more like him. Its more people-friendly.
Sky's favorite pie (Banana Cream) is my least favorite pie. Go figure.

BONUS Similarity--We're both ADORABLE!!

6 Days

2011-09-11T08:13:00.000-07:00

Where You Are Getting Married

The Oquirrh Mountain Temple.

Image from here

7 Days

2011-09-10T08:05:00.000-07:00

Something Lost with Marriage; Something Gained

Something I will lose: The freedom to spend money "willy-nilly" if I so choose. I've been budgeting for a few years now, but I've still generally had the financial freedom to do pretty much what I want. Now we'll be on a family budget that will be...a tad more stringent. (I'm also losing the freedom to cover half the bed with my laundry and other things I haven't felt like putting away for days on end. Just a thought.)

Something I will gain: The opportunity to go to bed at a normal hour--even an early hour, on occasion. This period of dating/engagement has been one continuous story of sleep deprivation because if I go to bed, Skyler will go home. And I love Skyler and don't WANT him to go home! So I stay up and just feel tired a lot. When we're married, I can just suggest we BOTH go to bed when it gets late. Hallelujah. (I'm also gaining an eternal best friend which means I'll always have somebody to hold my hand during awkward social situations. Just, you know, another thought.)

8 Days

2011-09-09T06:54:00.000-07:00

Three Things I Learned From Dating

Women are complex creatures and men will probably never fully understand us. However, there are a few simple things men often overlook that would make things go much easier for them. Namely--we're not THAT hard to win over. Spend a little quality time with us and give us something we love (i.e. Food (that was mine...), Flowers, etc.). If we're fairly compatible in other ways, that's probably all its going to take for us to give things a go for more than one date.
Honest communication is the most important thing in a relationship. Nobody--not men, not women--like to play games. Usually we "play games" because we're uncomfortable and we think the other person is doing the same thing. Do yourself--and the rest of the world!--a favor and just be yourself. In addition, you should feel confident in bringing up any topic/feeling you wish with your significant other. If you can't tell them what you are really thinking or even what's bothering you, this is probably not the right relationship for you. (This bit o' advice was shared by Mr. Ben C. and it made a big difference to me)
The worst first dates are usually ones that drag on and on and on--well past the "expiration date" of the evening, if you will. More men would find success in the dating scene if they would keep that first date short--grab a smoothie at Jamba or have dinner at Smashburger and then TAKE HER HOME. Really. If you have a nice time, ask her out again rather than trying to fit 2-3 dates into one evening. (Seriously. Ask her out again. Even right on the doorstep. I'm just sayin', it worked for Skyler...)

9 Days

2011-09-08T06:59:00.000-07:00

We're in the single digits now!

Movie that Describes Your Love Story

After pondering this one for quite a while, I have to conclude there isn't a great movie that really captures our particular love story. Well, there might be but I can't think of a film that follows two people who are friends. And then go out on a few dates and eventually start dating exclusively. And finally decide to get married after dating for several months. I'm pretty sure any screenwriter would say the story needs more DRAMA or CONFLICT. Sky and I haven't really had anything major get in the way of our relationship so...yeah. We're our own movie! Something of a heartwarming family tale, I'd say.

I still want to answer the question appropriately so here's one film I can {barely} relate our story to:

I know. I KNOW! A disaster film? Really?! But go with me on this. In the film, Jake Gyllenhaal joins the Academic quiz bowl team because he likes Emmy Rossum, and then he's rather less-than-forthcoming with his feelings for most of the film. But eventually it works out. So they're both kind of academically-minded (i.e. NERDY) peeps--"just friends"--and they find that when given the chance to try it out, they like each other! And really, that is...a sort of, somewhat, barely related but there you go, close but not nearby, description of Skyler and me.

Plus Skyler was once chased by wolves while trying to save my life. FACT.

Image from here

10 Days

2011-09-07T07:06:00.000-07:00

Firsts

First Meeting: I first met Skyler on May 9, 2010. Yes, I know the exact date. Because we met on Mother's Day in the Heritage Ward. I had come a bit earlier than usual to make sure I could find the right meeting place, and he was the Executive Secretary who needed people to say the opening/closing prayers. So...we chatted and I agreed to say one of the prayers for the meeting. Did I know then? No. Sorry. That would be awesome, but no.
First Date: Our first date was November 18th, 2010. Yes, I know the exact date. (Because I use a planner AND because I found out I passed National Boards the very next day!) Skyler invited me to the Trans Siberian Orchestra Concert at the Energy Solutions Arena. The band was doing two shows that day and we went to the earlier one. So I had to take Trax down from a class at the U (and I had to ride amidst an entire high school cheerleading squad. UGH!) and met him there. We didn't get to talk much--loud rock concert, remember?--but it was still really fun and I had a nice time.
First Kiss: Our first kiss was on Valentine's Day, 2011. Sky totally spoiled me the ENTIRE day with a variety of treats and surprises, and our first kiss was just one more delightful memory to add to everything else.

Image from here

11 Days

2011-09-06T11:31:00.000-07:00

Hardest Part of Planning a Wedding

The hardest part of planning my wedding--as my poor parents can attest--has been making any sort of firm decision. I decided on the wedding colors...and then changed them the day we met with the decorator. I decided on the three layers of the cake...and then let Cindy know a couple weeks later that I wanted to switch things up. I decided what time to get married...and then hemmed and hawed about it for another week. And sometimes I just don't care enough to make any decision, but people keep trying to make me happy so things hang up in the air longer than needed again. *sigh*

Still, decisions ARE getting made and the wedding will be splendid :)

Image from here

12 Days

2011-09-05T07:58:00.000-07:00

There are 12 more days until wedding day. To help me keep on keepin' on through the stress and excitement, Catie helped me put together a 12 Day Blog Countdown to The Big Day.

Five Things I Learned Being Single

There's something to laugh about in almost any situation. Be it a terrible line up or a month of financial irresponsibility, there will be reason to laugh. And laughing is a much better choice than whining, moping or complaining.
Putting the Lord first is the only way to live your life. Doing it on your own is just...c'est pas bien. When you put the Lord first, you can be confident that things will work out for the best--even if the way they work out is not what YOU would have thought best. He knows better than you what you need.
I am a fairly independent woman! I can survive and could have an awesome life without a man by my side. (Let it be noted, I find life WITH a man a wicked new version of AWESOME. But I did come to learn and understand I could do it alone.)
Men like to know you're interested, but they don't like to be pursued. So all of the "treat tramp"-ing, multiple date initiating, and strategic Sacrament Meeting sitting...may very well be hurting your chances rather than helping. Much better off to regularly be friendly and outgoing in their direction, and to OCCASIONALLY make an extra effort. Guys aren't stupid--despite a somewhat popularly-held belief amongst the womenfolk. They'll respond if they're interested too. (I guess I just wish I'd learned this EARLIER in my single years...)
Life is what you make of it, so make it good! No use sitting around waiting for life to show up. Go out and DO something with it! I'm so glad I tried my hand at new things (quilting, sewing, cookie experimentation, traveling, running, etc.) while single. I definitely feel like a more well-rounded person because of it. And life while single was pretty darn amazing--not gonna lie.

A Singles Ward-imony. {Really.}

2011-09-04T15:25:00.000-07:00

Today is my last Sunday attending a singles ward. I've got to admit, its sort of overwhelming because I've been attending singles wards for ten years now. TEN. I've been around the block long enough to retell the Good, Bad, and the Ugly of a singles ward. And I could easily fill the next ten minutes with amusing anecdotes and the stereotypical stories about ridiculous things and drama and the "bad and ugly" part of things. But I'd rather not. Because despite the struggles and challenges that often accompany attendance in one of these wards, I have to say there is a LOT of positive in the Singles Ward experience. And I am going to miss it, believe it or not. (Not the Drama and Ridiculous, but I'll miss the Good and Awesome.)

Its thanks to a Singles Ward that I gained a lot of social confidence in myself--enough to really get outside myself, meet people, and make new friends.

Its thanks to a Singles Ward that I had the opportunity for great service opportunities. Many of those opportunities taught me firsthand important truths about the worth of souls, the value of service, and the Lord's individualized plan for each of us.

Its thanks to a Singles Ward that I made the important step of going to the Temple to receive my own Endowment. And it was partially the strong encouragement and support of a Singles Ward that took me back to the temple regularly.

Its thanks to a Singles Ward that I made some amazing friends who supported me thought good and bad and everything in between. As a girl said today during her testimony, I believe in eternal friendships and many of mine started in a Singles Ward.

Its thanks to a Singles Ward, and the inspired leadership therein, that I found the help and guidance and direction I needed when life was throwing lemon after lemon in my direction.

Its thanks to the friendly people in a Single Ward that I found a new "home" almost immediately after nearly six years in my previous ward. I hope to one day find another ward as outgoing and welcoming as the Heritage Ward proved to be.

Its thanks to a Singles Ward that I'm "graduating" today, and moving on to the big, scary-ish, world of the Family Ward. I met Skyler in our Singles Ward, and for that alone I'll forever be a fan of the YSA program. But its not just my fast-approaching "nuptials" that lead me to speak highly of the YSA wards. Its the great blessing they can be in a young adult's life in so many ways besides the dating/marriage thing. Really.

So I am grateful. A bit overwhelmed and full of trepidation at this new step I'll be taking in the world of family wards, but I'm grateful for my experience in the Singles Ward world. I have every confidence that the establishment of the YSA Wards was inspired. And I know, for myself, that I have been very, very blessed by the events, people, experiences and more over my Singles Ward years.

Yes, I am well aware this post is oozing cheese and other such things. But sometimes I AM a wee bit cheesy and nostalgic. So...Deal. :)

Everyone Wins!

2011-08-30T18:01:00.000-07:00

We are less than three weeks away from WEDDING DAY! at this point and its pure craziness to think about! So I'm going to try and not think about it and Blog instead. Life is still cruising right along (headed to Wedding Day! Oh...sorry...NOT thinking about it.) and stuff has been happening. For example...

First, I took a couple days off work last week and one of those was spent cleaning out and organizing the condo. UNNECESSARY BACK-STORY STRAIGHT AHEAD: When I moved into this little abode last year, I had two rooms to spare. One room (hereafter known as "The Nursery") was decorated in an adorable Winnie the Pooh motif, and the other was painted a sort of elephant brown color. (Really. Come see it. Elephant Brown.) Assuming I'd get a roommate who wouldn't want to live in a baby room, I loaded up The Nursery with all my books, sewing machine, guitar, etc., and left the Elephant Brown room empty. But...no roommate appeared. Which really was fine with me. But THEN Skyler showed up and said he'd be my roommate FOR ETERNITY and the prospect of having children to inhabit The Nursery became a real possibility at some point in the near future and it seemed only right to move all the junk in The Nursery into the Elephant Room which is NOW known as "The Office." So I took some time off last week and moved all of that stuff. I also cleaned out half the dresser and threw/gave away lots of clothes and other things I don't need. {More than ten bags, to be more precise...}

The point of ALL of this is that, 1) We have an Elephant Room, and 2) in cleaning out The Nursery, I found a box of stuff I've been hauling from house to house for nearly 10 years that is just...crazy. What IS this stuff and WHY do I still have it?! Let me prove the crazy to you:

Glass dolphin, red brick from Nauvoo, a Tiki God statuette, a COW, a praying woman statue, and--my favorite--an Indian head carved out of piece of pine. All in one box. I HAVE NO EXPLANATION.

Yesterday I spent a good hour or two updating the JSD Social Studies webpage. Its one of my many duties at the office and luckily we're low-key peeps in the department and we don't update all that often. This time 'round Pam wanted me to add my contact info to the page and, while doing that, I realized that if anybody had a prob with the webpage it would be nice for them to let me know so I could fix it. So...they'd need to know to contact ME. So I added "Webmaster" next to my regular title of TAH Coordinator. And then I had to have a good laugh, because me being a webmaster is fairly RIDICULOUS. (Bahahaha!!!)

I don't look quite so masculine as THIS Webmaster. Nor do I wear a beard as well as he does.

I'm likely switching gyms for the first time in 12 years. This...is...HUGE. Also huge is the savings from $316/year to $320/two years. Let's just hope I like New Gym when I pop in for a trial visit later this week. Maybe tomorrow. Maybe Friday. Who knows? I just know Gym Visits are an integral part of who I am, so I need a gym.

Penny Quote of the Day: "I just run 'til I'm hungry, and then stop for a Bear Claw."

A final VERY exciting and MOST IMPORTANT of events--Little Bro' is HOME!!!! He left Cali on a jet plane and came back to see us after two years--TWO YEARS!!--away. We are superbly super glad he's back and so proud of him in his missionary service. The Roseville, CA Mission will miss him, I'm sure, and he will miss them. But...he's back! And as random and crazy as ever, I assure you. We picked him up this morning and spent the day chillin' at home, shopping for new clothes (he didn't fit...much of anything), and trying to endure the ever-increasing decibel level at home with numerous niece/nephews, movies, and talk talk talk! All in all--GREAT DAY!!

Welcome Home, my BIG little bro!

The Adventures of Pocket Sky, Episode 1.2

2011-08-27T16:11:00.000-07:00

Its been a couple weeks since we returned, so I should really finish filling my one or two readers in about the rest of our adventures in Washington D.C.. And it really was quite the adventure! Fun times were had, good treats were consumed, and awesome things were seen. We were in the nation's capital from Sunday to Thursday. Check below for a few of the highlights from the last 2-3 days (completely out of order, btw):

Our flight home left DC on Thursday afternoon, so P.S. and I hit up The Mall via the Little Red Trolley early Thursday morning--trying to get in as much as possible! Here he is with the map, checking out the path for the day's journeyings.

We loved the FDR Memorial. I've been such a fan of Eleanor Roosevelt for so many years, I thought it proper for P.S. to get a picture with her. Here's a zoomed in view--

When the trolley let us out at the Lincoln Memorial stop, we literally ran to the Korean War Monument (LOVED), and then ran up the stairs of the Lincoln Memorial like Rocky to see it and get the picture below. Thanks to the kind Asian tourist who took numerous shots to make sure I got one I liked. Let it be noted, my favorite was the FIRST one so I guess she went above and beyond somewhat needlessly. Still--nice!!

After the Lincoln Memorial, we dashed away to the Vietnam War Memorial. I was bound and determined to spend more time here and I did. It was, in a word, MOVING. Its so powerful and kind of overwhelming. No picture here--didn't seem appropriate to pull out my little pocket friend and be all touristy here.

On Tuesday we caught the Circulator Bus (Only a dollar per ride! And no, they don't give transfers when it only costs A DOLLAR, Pam!!) to Georgetown. Its a grand area of town and it would be cool to live there if I could afford a $4 million dollar condo!

We could afford to spend 20 minutes waiting in line to get into Georgetown Cupcake. YUM! I had the Happy Birthday and Red Velvet. Yummy yummy!! I would have shared with Pocket Sky, but...I didn't. {He's not a real person, people. He can't eat a cupcake. Really.}

On Tuesday evening we had dinner at a great little French restaurant. I happen to know that P.S. adores crepes and all things French--here he is practically SALIVATING! over the yummy crepes I had for dinner.

And we both enjoyed the complimentary basket of French bread the server brought to our table. Bread. Butter. YUM.

And don't worry, we walked a lot of those carbs off that night--heading toward the Capitol building on the East end of The Mall. I was a hot, sweaty mess by the time we got there but P.S. was Cool as a Cucumber. He's great/lucky that way.

A couple more highlights for you--on Tuesday afternoon we went to the Smithsonian American History Museum and yours truly had numerous History Nerd-out moments. Here's just one I loved--the lunch counter where the Greensboro sit-ins began. THE lunch counter!!! Amazing.

No pics, but I also enjoyed Union Station (and Larry's Cookies!), the French bakery, the workout facilities at the Marriott, the amazingly huge Jefferson Memorial (I love Mr. Jefferson...), and the Red Velvet Cupcakery. Washington D.C. was/is an amazing place and I NEED to go back soon for a real, straight-up vacation to see so many more things I missed. And I think next time Pocket Sky will stay back to work and study, and the Real Sky can come along. I kind of adore him, after all.

The Adventures of Pocket Sky, Episode 1

2011-08-18T06:16:00.000-07:00

Pocket Sky joined me last week on an adventure in Washington D.C. I had to go for a Teaching American History Conference (i.e. WORK), and he had to go because I had to leave the real Sky behind at home. Pocket Sky is a great travel companion--fits in my purse or pocket--and can be pulled out at a moment's notice! Here are a few of his adventures from the first few days in D.C.:

Pocket Sky didn't cause too much trouble on the flight(s) from Salt Lake to Reagan International. Here we're enjoying an in-flight snack of M&Ms!

Here is Pocket Sky in the first Plenary Session at the TAH Project Director's Conference. It was fairly long, but not entirely boring. Just a little bit.

Pocket Sky helped me write a postcard to the Real Sky, and to little mission bro, Jon. The postcards are bigger than he is!

On Monday night, Pocket Sky considered being 'Spy Sky' at the International Spy Museum. It was pretty fascinating. Did you know there was a fully operating German spy ring in NYC during World War II? And that the US brought them down through the use of a double agent?! FASCINATING. Pocket Sky agrees.

Can you see it? That's The White House! Pocket Sky was enraptured to finally see something he's only ever seen in pictures or on TV. There it is!! We took in some site-seeing on our own. Walking down Pennsylvania Avenue was surreal.

On the way back from The White House, Pocket Sky and I ran into General John J. Pershing--leader of the American Expeditionary Force in WWI. Nobody was there (Why?! General JJP is AWESOME!) but us, so we took a picture. Pocket Sky sure looks tiny, huh?

Long day--lots meetings and lots of walking in the humid heat afterward. So we finished up the night with a MASSIVE burrito from Qdoba. Pocket Sky should have eaten more because I ate too much and it made me a tad ill.

And then...it was bedtime. In this MASSIVE and super comfy King-Sized masterpiece of a bed. Pocket Sky is already there--can you see him?

Zoom in on the center pillow and BAM! There he is. In all his adorable, pocket-sized brilliance.

More adventures to report on in the next episode of...
THE ADVENTURES OF POCKET SKY IN OUR NATION'S CAPITAL!!

Hard to Define

2011-08-15T13:58:00.000-07:00

Yesterday's Relief Society lesson was on the Law of Chastity. On the topic of "Passionate kissing" (which is generally seen as a no-no when discussing the L.o.C.), our teacher commented:

"I don't know how to define 'passionate kissing;' I think in the moment you'll know that it is."

What?! Okay...

I discussed this topic later with my good friend, Andrea, and she made an even TRUER--and more hilarious--statement than the one above:

"I think we all know how to define 'passionate kissing,' but we don't want to because then we'd have to stop."

Let it be officially noted--this is now Reason #346 we're friends.

De-Lovely Things

2011-08-03T11:07:00.000-07:00

I love walking to work. Its a 10-15 minute jaunt from the condo to the office, and as long as its not raining or blowing me about in a tornado-esque fashion, its usually a lovely affair. I almost always listen to my NPR podcasts on the journey--my favorite being "Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me." SOOO funny. I often wonder what people driving by think when they see my solitary figure, standing at the corner, laughing out loud.

Last night I was reunited with the long lost, j. Okay, maybe not looong lost but it has certainly been a while since we got together. We feasted on cake (Thank you, The Chocolate!) and talked a blue streak about life and funniness and everything that we find awesome. She's a gem. I love cake. And there you go.

Sunday was Harry Potter's 31st Birthday. Did you celebrate? There were Gryffindor-styled cupcakes with personalized birthday flags happening over on my side of the tracks. Funfetti. Delish.

Next week I'm headed to our nation's capital for a Teaching American History Conference. Its sort of part of my job description to stay up on the TAH Universe, so I'm getting paid to be there. And I'm not paying to get there or be there. That's a free airline ticket, free hotel stay, regular salary for the week, and a per diem allotted for food and other such things (i.e COOKIES). And guess what? This will be my first time in Washington D.C.! Its pretty thrilling, not gonna lie. I'm looking forward to staying in a Marriott, walking the Mall, eating at Larry's Cookies, visiting the Newseum and at least one Smithsonian, and somewhere in there I'll probably glean some new info on our TAH grant. I only see one* downside to all of this and it involves one Mr. C who won't be coming along. [Boo... 45 days, y'all. 45 days.]

Homemade BBQ Chicken Pizza
Make your pizza dough and spread it on your pan/stone/whatever you use.
Top it with BBQ Sauce (preferably Sweet Baby Ray's cuz that stuff is TheBomb.com), Mozzarella cheese, chopped pre-cooked chicken (Even better if its been cooked in BBQ Sauce), red onion, and cilantro, if you have it. Add a few more sprinklings of shredded cheddar. Bake. Enjoy. And you will enjoy because its AWESOME.

I just heard about Eric Whitacre's Virtual Choir. I am entranced and mesmerized. Also, I think he looks like Aaron Eckhart.

Earlier this week I returned to Monopoly after a multi-years absence from the game. Thanks to Skyler for bringing me back to the glory of the Parker Bros. exercise in "making me think again about the possibilities there might be under Socialism." Really if I hadn't landed on that "Free Parking" moneybags when I did...all might have been lost. As it was, I didn't lose, and we'll leave it at that.

Today is National Watermelon Day. The fab Social Committee at work surprised us with a Watermelon Celebration complete with Watermelon salsa, Watermelon Granadas (sp?), Asian spiced watermelon cubes, and lots of good ol' fashioned WATERMELON--STRAIGHT UP. I adore watermelon. This was a tender mercy, no? It certainly made me happy!

*One other downside could be the fairly awful flight itinerary we've been given. We're leaving at 6:00 in the flippin' AM on Sunday, and we won't return until 9:00 PM on Thursday even though our conference ends Wednesday evening. And don't EVEN get me started on layovers in Dallas. DALLAS!

Pictures from Here and Here

Cruising to Alaska 101

2011-07-22T12:43:00.000-07:00

So let me tell you about cruising to Alaska. I'm a good person to tell you about such things because I just returned from an Alaskan cruise, and that makes me something of an expert in this day and age.

That would be beef medallion with almond croquettes. Ooh la la!

The first thing you need to know about cruising to Alaska is that you will be surrounded by food all the time. The buffet? Open 24 hours. Need some ice cream, pizza, or a hamburger? You can get any of those starting at 11:00 am and yes, its all-you-can-eat. What if you're like me and have a weakness for warm cookies? Never fear--the cafe is churning them out all day and they're just sitting there for you to take. And you can take AS MANY AS YOU WANT. You could even pile two or three on a plate of other pastries you just ordered from said cafe--mousse, fruit tarts, tortes, etc. Really. Make sure you're not too stuffed by dinnertime, because that meal will come in a variety of courses and you can order as much as you want. Two appetizers? Don't mind if I do! Don't forget that dinner menus will be fancy wicked awesome--beef tenderloin, lobster tail, wild mushroom cream soup, and that doesn't even include the desserts. OH. MY. WORD.

My dessert(s) from dinner one night

The second thing you need to know about cruising in Alaska is that no matter how many mornings you go to the "Health Club," you will still likely gain 5 lbs. or so...for the reasons listed above (i.e. cake, cookies, ice cream, hamburgers, pizza, etc.). The fact is that if you don't drink or gamble, eating will be your main form of entertainment all week long.

A view from The Promenade of wet, chilly, wonderful Ketchikan, AK!

The third thing you need to know about cruising to Alaska is that it will likely be cold at some point in your vacation or even for all of your vacation. Even if you cruise in the middle of the summer, you need to bring layers. I brought a coat and a variety of sweatshirts, sweaters, and jackets. And let me tell you--I was glad. Especially on the day Allie and I "promenaded" around Deck 7 (i.e. The Promenade) for a mile in cold and windy temperatures. BRISK! That's the word for it.

Our small, delightful, tour group in front of the Mendenhall Glacier.

The fourth thing you need to know about cruising to Alaska is that a lot of those EXCURSIONS they offer aren't going to be worth the crazy prices. However, if you can take an excursion that puts you in a small group of 13 people it will be a great escape from the THOUSANDS you're "living" with on the ship. And if that excursion actually gets you out in the real Alaska--outside of the kitschy shops and tourist traps and places hawking Sarah Palin ulu knives--and you can see the beauty and awesomeness of glaciers, forests, and huge mosquitoes? Then its worth it. And you'll be really glad you go. Even for $79.

Yeah. We're hot.

The last thing you need to know about cruising to Alaska is that it will be AWESOME. You'll get to see glaciers and whales and sea otters. You'll get to relax, read lots of great books, sit in hot tubs, watch lots of Matt Damon movies ("He is such an attractive man!"--Allie O.), try new foods and eat your heart out if you like that sort of thing. (I do.) Cruising to Alaska will be extra fabulous** if you go with your amazing parents and little sister. You'll have good times--eating, playing SkipBo, looking at Ice, keeping an eye out for the Milk & Cookies guy, and talking about life and all sorts of good things (Except the w-----g because that's an off-limits topic...). Really, its just going to be a grand ol' time.

Chillin' with my Homegirl, Sarah P.

So, you should do it. Go. Cruise. See Alaska. Eat more than you should. Buy a Sarah Palin bottle opener. Become good friends with Natasha at the ice cream counter. Work out in the "Health club" (Because you haven't lived until you keep your balance on a treadmill at 6 mph while your ship is a-rockin' and a-rollin' beneath your feet...). Take a hike through the Tongass National Forest. Find the Milk & Cookies guy. Shop in kitschy tourist shops. Try lobster tail. Hang out in the "No Kids Allowed" hot tub. Sleep in. Order shrimp cocktail with every meal. To sum up: Have a blast. Because really--you will.

And because I want to, a few more pictures!

Waving at the camera with a view of the Glacier in the background. This was just before I was attacked by a MASSIVE mosquito.

Wondering why the Milk & Cookies guy won't come back...

Allie and Mom in front of our cruise ship. Its HUUUUGE!

One of my favorite parts of the cruise--fresh cookies. Whenever I wanted them. Which was often.

Thanks to my awesome family for a great time!!

**The only thing that could make your cruise to Alaska even better would be if your truly stellar fiancee gets to come along for the week. I don't have a lot of experience in this area, so I'll leave it at that. I do know that if he doesn't come along, you'll probably miss him buckets. But you'll survive. {"Pat, Pat. You'll be fine."--Mariah S.}

Meet My Faves: The One We Were ALL Waiting For!

2011-06-28T11:20:00.000-07:00

Episode 6 in this series brings us the one we have all been waiting for. I know I've been waiting for a lot more years than I was expecting. But trust me--he was "Absotively Posolutely!" worth the wait. I Love Him--with capitalization for emphasis on the truthfulness of that statement. Of all my favorites, he's definitely The Favorite and that's really the way it should be.

Are you lost? Do you know who we're talking about? I hope so!! We're talking about my Favorite fave, my couch companion, my significant other, my crepe-making comrade, my numero uno, my gentleman caller, my eating alter-ego, my fiancee, and my best friend. Some people might even call him Skyler. (I usually do.)

We met when I moved into a new ward in WJ. He was the stellar Exec. Secretary and I was...well, I was me. But I guess that was enough! We got to know each other as ward friends for nearly a year before he finally (FINALLY) asked me out. And more than a month passed before anything else happened after that. (Sheesh.) However, what followed was a fateful weeknight involving a little chutzpah, a bit of Facebook chat, and a lot of divine timing. And the rest--as they say--is history.

Best Thing(s): He's adorable and ridiculous and smart and musically gifted and responsible and an incredibly hard worker and he speaks French to me and he appreciates good food and He Loves Me.
Worst Thing: He is SOOOO busy that we never seem to have enough time to play.

Where are you from?

I am happy to say I am from W.J., Utah.

What do you do for a living?
For the moment I am a Quality Assurance technician at the LDS church office building in R. I test software that manages the Church's temporal affairs and resources. I enjoy that for the moment but I am working on a degree in computer engineering at the University of Utah so that I can one day say that I design computer architecture for a living.

What is your favorite comfort food?
When I lived in France, it was bread with Crema Duo spread on it (Crema Duo is basically hazel-nut butter mixed with vanilla frosting). Otherwise, I love a good Steak and Egg burrito from Del Taco when I am stressed out. Dunford Chocolate Donuts will always make me happy regardless of how I am feeling.

What color is your bedspread?
I have brown sheets, and a white electric blanket that is hidden by a large dark blue comforter.

What book/movie has had a major impact on you?
The Book of Mormon. It continues to give me peace, reassurance and a desire to become a better person. I could expound but it would take awhile so for those of you who are reading this blog and have never read The Book of Mormon, I invite you to do so.

What is your favorite word?
Ecureuil - it means squirrel in French (it sounds much different than how it is read by the average anglaphone [that is french for someone who speaks English]).
[Editor's note: Sky is a grammar fanatic. Its bizarre. Speak carefully in his presence...]

What is your best color?
Well, my favorite colors are dark blue and black but I am told that I look good in green or brown by people whose opinions mean something to me.

What is your favorite restaurant?
That is a tough one, but I really enjoy Tepanyaki and I would probably say Olive Garden is one of my favorites. The food there is great, not to mention that the beginning of something amazing happened there...

What is one material possession you couldn't live without?
My acoustic guitar.

Which cartoon character do you resemble the most?
I am told that the Disney character whose personality I resemble most is Little John from Robin Hood. Ironically, (or I guess not ironically?) the name somewhat suits me since my first name is really John and I am only 5 foot 7 inches.

Why do you think I like you so much?
Well... I am one of the few people (if not the only person) who has brought you both flowers and red velvet cake at the same time (two separate occasions). I not only wrote you a song but I had enough courage to actually play it for you. I am cheesy yet sincere. I am a nerd but smooth. I am ridiculous. I love to eat good food with you AND talk about it. I give you free massages on a daily basis. I like to spend time with you and your family. I gave you a ring. Finally, I can give you over a hundred reasons why I love YOU.

What is the best compliment you could receive?
"Skyler, you always make me smile." or "Skyler, I trust you." or "Skyler, I am a better person because I know you."

What is your favorite memory we have shared?
I have idea. Pizookie. Actually there are so many. One of my favorites for sure was Valentines Day with me struggling to cook you a meal (at least the cake wasn't homemade) then we danced in your apartment...

What three words would best describe you?
I love Tara.
[Awwwwwwwww!!]

*The fact that he took some of his precious time to actually answer these silly questions is pretty darn awesome. He has a habit of doing things that make me happy, I guess.

The Prophet Said to Plant a Garden...

2011-06-13T06:22:00.000-07:00

So that's what I'll do.

Remember how I was interrupted in the writing of this Blog by getting engaged? Yeah, that was awesome. But...I'm finally getting around to telling you about my garden like I promised.

Last year was something of a bust in the gardening department, but I feel a bit more prepared this year. See, there was an awesome article on Container Gardening in the Ensign a few months ago and I've done a bit more research. I'm feeling more confident of an actual harvest.

My little basil seedlings

My garden is two-fold. Part one lives in my windowsill and is made up of herbs and a "Mystery" plant of the year. It might be flowers? It might be herbs? No idea. I'll let you know when it really starts blooming. If a tree appears I think we'll need to transplant. The other part is larger and lives on the patio. Two lovely containers with a large Early Girl Tomato plant, and another, smaller cherry tomato plant.

Happy Tomatoes Basking in the Sun!

I'm watering. I'm giving them the chance to bask in the sunshine. I even bring them in off the patio if the wind gets going too crazy. I'm a nice steward to these plants. So will they repay me? Let's hope. I've already got meals planned around the herbs and plants if they offer a real harvest: pesto with the basil, bbq chicken pizza with the cilantro, and lots of crisp summer salads, hamburgers, fresh salsa and other delights with the tomatoes. Doesn't it just make your mouth water?!

So what are you growing in your garden?

The Times They Are A-Changin'

2011-06-06T14:42:00.001-07:00

Yesterday evening I was in the middle of creating a Blog post about my little container garden. Its a lovely garden and I'm sure my one or two readers will be delighted to hear I intend to finish that post sometime soon and get it up on the Blog. Basil is such an exciting subject!

I didn't finish reporting on my basil-growing exploits because I got Engaged.

Are you surprised? So was I! I should note that Skyler and I had discussed marriage and had, in fact, agreed it was a pretty awesome idea we were both in favor of pursuing--preferably together. However, I was not expecting him to get down on one knee Sunday night in my living room, put a ring on my finger, and ask me to marry him! It was a mighty pleasant surprise, and I haven't really stopped smiling since. What can I say? I'm happy, I'm in love, and I'm so excited about the future!

So mark your calendars, ladies and gentlemen. This new adventure will be taking off on September 17th, 2011! And yes--there will be cake.

*This does mean I will no longer be eligible to host the annual Chastity Party but sacrifices do have to be made on occasion.*

"I beg of you not to look at me directly."

2011-05-16T20:55:00.000-07:00

I went to Lagoon on Friday as a chaperone to my former students. Its still the best day of the school year and I will continue to go every year they will let me. Skyler came along and I discovered that returning to my old stomping grounds NOT as a teacher (Though still as an adult who wields hardcore discipline power!), meant I became something of a mini-celebrity. The kids were SO happy to see me! I would never have got the excited, waving, "HEY!" reaction I got when the kids saw me in line for Dracula's Castle had I still been the resident US History Teacher. I also don't think they would have given me all the sordid details of life at SHMS quite so candidly.

Skyler is pretty much My Favorite every day. Just thought I'd update you on that front.

Today my boss asked me to cut out a bunch of Civil War Paper Dolls (History. It relates!), so I spent nearly three hours patiently cutting up characters and awesome costumes. I did so while catching up on my shows via Hulu. Thank goodness for online TV. Though watching last week's Bones episode nearly had me in fits. I CANNOT BELIEVE THEY DID THAT TO MY FAVORITE CHARACTER OF THE SEASON!!!!! GRR!!!

I tried a Zero candy bar for the first time tonight. Interesting. Not bad. Sugary. And it reconfirmed my decision that eating an entire candy bar is just...too much. I shared this one and even that was leaning on the side of "too much."

I love taking Fridays off work.

Sometimes you just have to savor the simple things in life. For example, toast and jam. I had some with my dinner this evening (Omelets, in case you were wondering.) and just...mmmmm. Its so good! A classic that never gets old.

One of my faves got engaged this weekend. Yay!! I'm super excited for him, and I really like his fiancee, so there's little to NOT love and support. Year of the Cake Plate!!

Finally, I watched Snoopy, Come Home last night. This is a movie that debuted circa 1972--a feature-length Peanuts cartoon that has NOSTALGIA written all over it, at least in my book. I think we watched the VHS of this movie EVERY time we spent the night at Grandma & Grandpa P.'s. Even if we spent an afternoon there, we'd try to watch it. All I needed was chicken noodle soup and the old child size vinyl table and it would have been 1987 all over again.

Images from here and here

Thursday

2011-05-06T14:50:00.001-07:00

Did your boyfriend bring you flowers at work for

National Teacher Appreciation Day/
Happy 3-month Anniversary

on Thursday like mine did?

Huh. Guess I'm just one lucky lady.

Oh wait...I already knew that!

Book Reviews of Various Kinds

2011-04-27T07:41:00.000-07:00

I hope everyone had a wonderful Easter weekend. I certainly did--downing more Easter candy (my favorite kind!) than is necessary for any human being, dyeing eggs twice, receiving the most AMAZING Easter basket from Skyler, and visiting with lots of family and friends. I just adore Easter. Great holiday, all around.

I recently finished reading A Tale of Two Cities for the second or third time. I love that book! Even when I get a bit lost in the language (Dickens isn't always the easiest to follow in his long asides and crazy descriptions), I still adore the story. And the end? THE END! Is amazing. I'm always so moved by how things turn out. Brilliant. If you haven't read it yet--get 'er done, peeps. You'll be glad you did.

I have also recently returned to the world of Facebook, after taking a break for the Lenten season. (Is that actually a phrase or did I make that up?) Taking 40+ days off of Facebook has taught me a few things about myself, life, social networking, etc. The most fascinating thing to me was realizing how many friends I don't have any connection with outside of Facebook. Even friends who literally live 5 minutes from my door were fairly nonexistent in my Facebook-free world this Easter season. What is that all about?! Well I'll tell you what I think its about: this whole social network world skews or shuts down any REAL social life you may have. Or--to say it another way--perhaps it gives you a false sense that you have a social life when in reality...yeah. Anyway, think about it. (And read this!)

Secondly, I discovered that {GASP!} I don't need Facebook in my life. I had plenty of activities with friends, dates with my BF, enjoyable evenings, and I even had things to keep me busy when I wanted to veg and do nothing (i.e. books to read! blogs to peruse!). To be honest, I often forgot about Facebook. The idea of hopping on the site didn't even occur to me most days. AND THAT WAS OKAY. Crazy, right? I'm sorry if I just blew your mind, but I've got to speak the truth.

My conclusion, really, is that Facebook has its place. But its "place" shouldn't be anywhere near the center of my life--social, or otherwise. Spending time on Facebook should be kept to a minimum. Using it to keep in touch with long distance friends is awesome, but using it in place of actually talking to or seeing friends who live down the road is RIDICULOUS. I'll still use it, I think, but I'm going to also make extra effort to maintain real connections with friends, too. You see, I still like Facebook, but I'm wary of falling into the trap of its addictive appeal. If I'm not careful I fear I'll be poking everyone I know within the week. And we don't want that, now do we?

**Gold Star to all of you well-balanced people who figured all of this out without needing to shut down FB for more than a month. I salute you.

Images from here and here

Loves me this Job!

2011-04-18T15:10:00.000-07:00

In an attempt to illustrate to the Blog world why my job is the cat's pajamas, I'm going to update this Blog post on an hourly basis today--telling you what I do hour by hour, on this, a fairly normal day at the office.

Hour One: First off, this is awesome because hour one starts at 8:00 am. Mucho better than the 7:30 call time I had for years. Anyway, in hour one of the day I had a mini-meeting with The Boss which involved us shootin' the breeze about High School Musical On Stage and my BF, and then discussing a few important matters that need to be dealt with today. I sent a couple Emails about an upcoming "Movie Morning" with our participants, and readied a few Primary Resources for my archives project. I also figured out how to add members to my wikispace.

Hour Two: I twice emailed my contact at Apple.com to hopefully nudge him along on getting me a quote for some of our materials (Yay for iPods!). I sent an Email to one of our teachers who is withdrawing from the program and then went through all our materials to change things up due to her absence. In the midst of doing that, I decided to finalize our picture directory and figure out how to get it printed.

Hour Three: Picture directory! And the daily apple break. Today I consumed a Gala--one of my favorites.

Hour Four: I semi-finalized the picture directory. Still waiting on a few things before beginning the printing process (Might be tomorrow). I also made some copies for our Master Teacher, made a few orders through Noreen (Secretary Extraordinaire!) and left for my lunch meeting with the JHAT Team.

Hour Five: Lunch meeting at the SIZZLER :) Let it be noted that I ate too much. Let it be further noted that eating too much is something of a habit with me...

Hour Six: With my trusty colleague in crime, Judy, I completed a last-minute assignment from The Boss about what the district history department has provided to the schools in the past year. I attached pictures to the Email and SKIDOOSH!--on to the next...which happened to be Primary Source research for the archives project. The main focus this hour was on Revolutionary War-period pieces. Luckily I remembered a great website from UEN.org that was chock full o' good stuff! Letters from a Loyalist lady, anyone? Don't mind if I do!

[Editor's note: I am tired. A nap sounds really good right now.]

Hour Seven: Archives. Archives. Archives.

[Editor's note #2: I really, really, really want a nap...I think the events of Hour Five are to blame for this overwhelming lethargy.]

Hour Eight: Archiving again! It takes a while--trust me. Not only do I have to seek out good resources, but I usually have to read through them and make larger journal entries, articles, documents, etc. into readable excerpts appropriate to a 5th grade audience. I think my eyes may very well be bloodshot after so many hours of intently staring at a computer screen.

But now! It is the blessed hour--4:00 pm. I get to go home. I get to go home without any papers to grade, lessons to plan, or work-related issues on my mind (for the most part). And that, ladies and gentlemen, is yet another reason why I loves me this job! Lots and lots and lots.

Picture from here

Your MOM loves history!

2011-04-07T09:45:00.000-07:00

For the past week I've been working 8 hours a day on resource research. As part of our TAH grant, I am putting together archives of resources to give the teachers in our summer academy. The resources range from maps to photographs to political cartoons to picture books and things in between. When they're actually finished, I think you could argue that these archives alone will be worth the three weeks of summer vacation the teachers will be giving up. If you disagree, you're obviously not a teacher.

I'm pretty much a history buru, if you will, and I really adore that I'm getting paid to find snarky journal entries from William Clayton, letters to the editor about bobbed hair, and awesome photographs from Ellis Island. However, it can get tiring. Staring at the computer and reading article after article, for hours on end, to try and find just the right resource...can be frustrating.

And that's why I appreciate the lighthearted approach to history one can often find while trawling the Internet in the spare moments.

Exhibit A--brought to you by xkcd.com:

Because that's just funny, ladies and gentlemen. FUNNY.

I ONEDER as I Wander...

2011-03-30T12:29:00.000-07:00

"It looks like the Oh-Nee-ders."
"No! Its the ONEders!"
"Got it. Looks like the Oh-Nee-ders."

I wonder if the MANIA class at the gym will always be as amazing as it was today. Have you ever done MANIA? Its fast paced cardio that's awesome and amazing! I was literally shaking by the time we finished today. I'm also 98% sure I won't be able to lift my arms above my head tomorrow. How exciting!

I wonder if I'll get tired of Disney's Tangled. At this point, I'm guessing NO, because I love that show. Also, I really like watching it in my own house while eating tuna sandwiches and popchips with someone I adore. So as long as I can always watch it that way I stick with my NO.

I wonder if everyone else finds this as awesome as me:

(I would have said "anybody else" but come on! I'm SURE there are people who love it. Are you one of those?)

I wonder if Wednesdays will ever be a day I love. Besides that Mania class this morning, there's not a ton to look forward to or really find AWESOME.

I wonder if anybody else has a BFF who threatens the new BF with "death by singing and dancing" should he ever hurt me. How awesome is that?! And hilarious, of course.

I've been wondering for a while about why the earbuds that came with my iPod don't fit in my ears. I see loads of other people sporting the tell-tale white earbud look while walking down the road, running on the treadmill, or ignoring my fascinating lectures in night class. And they seem to have no problem! Why me?

I wonder what's for dinner tonight. My little sister has got me into Meal Planning as of late, but Wednesdays are a wildcard--usually leftovers and/or something quick due to Second Job starting 90 minutes or less after First Job ends. Perhaps tonight will be cold cereal? Or a HOT POCKET maybe!?

I wonder how I forgot for more than a month that I had a BOX--a BOX people!--of M&M's in my file drawer. I'm going to assume here, for the sake of my Internet audience, that its because I'm such an efficient and focused worker that I never had time to stop and consider where I could procure chocolate in the midst of a busy workday. Yep. That's what I'm going to assume...

And now I'm wondering how many packages of M&M's I could justify eating...

Spring Break #1

2011-03-24T07:28:00.000-07:00

I should note that this week is my first Spring Break of the year. Since I have to take a bunch of time off work before June I took the U's Spring Break off. I'll also be enjoying the district's Spring Break next month. Charmed life? I think so.

Tuesday was a most excellent day in many ways. I did some service, had a nice workout, and enjoyed a fun lunch with Julie. I also got a chance to do a session at the Jordan River Temple in the afternoon. AND the weather was so nice in the evening that Skyler and I went for a little jaunt. Loverly.

Wednesday started with a great workout at the park (4 miles in 38 minutes!) followed by an all day adventure with Wallpaper Stripping. Its not like a California Adventure, but...yeah. Can't finish that. Its really not that fun and attempting to compare hours of scraping old paste and nasty paper off a wall to the brilliance of a Disney Themepark is sacrilege. But we finished the walls! And now we're one step closer to having Jon's room ready for him when he returns this summer.

Today I'm attempting to make a BBQ Chicken Pizza, introducing two of my favorite people to The Chocolate, and venturing down south to see Hairspray with Elisa. Yay Thursday!

Conclusion: Taking a week off in the middle of the year and having no major plans beyond "have a good time and relax," definitely fits into the realm of "The Finer Things in Life."

A couple quick notes about food--naturally.

Just in case any of you were considering putting some Girl Scout Cookies into food storage? They hold really well for at least two--if not three--years. I don't actually remember when I purchased this particular box of Thin Mints but they still taste GREAT! Happiness.

And I tried a new flavor of yogurt this morning. I stumbled on a Carrot Cake yogurt from Kroger and thought I'd give it a go for funsies sake. The flavor is actually not too bad. I mean, its not actually a luscious piece of carrot cake topped in several inches of to-die-for cream cheese frosting, but it tasted fine. The appearance of said yogurt, on the other hand, was fairly nasty. The consistency was THICK and the color was something between orange play-doh and fry sauce. YUMMY, right? I'm just really glad I didn't intend to mix anything in to it because I'm pretty sure that would have taken my appetite away almost immediately.

Sheldon Quote o' the Day: "Milk Duds, with their self-deprecating name and remarkably mild flavor, are the most apologetic of the boxed candies."

I Like Feta

2011-03-12T16:18:00.000-08:00

I ran my first 10K of the season this morning. The Rex Lee run in Provo is a great race--good course and proceeds going to a good cause. As a runner, I felt really great. Sometimes you just find your rhythm and running is pure Joy! I finished the 6.2 mile course in 57:39--a new personal best. AWESOME!

Yesterday was a beautiful day. It was the kind of Spring day that reminds you that Winter will in fact end and Summer will arrive. And I finished breakfast five minutes early so...I walked to work. Before anyone gets too impressed, you should know that I can drive to work in about 2 minutes. Walking to work takes about 10 minutes, so I really should be doing it more often. Yesterday's walk TO work was beautiful and the walk HOME from work was even better. I love sunshine!!

Based on my shout-out in the last post to Mr. Sydney Carton, Andrea and I discussed the idea of naming hypothetical children (neither of us have any) after literary figures. I think I'm all for it, though likely as middle names. After all, Sydney is generally seen as a feminine name today and introducing oneself as Samwise Such-and-Such might garner strange looks. Still, I like the general idea.

I made Banana bread today. I replaced half the butter with applesauce and added some chopped pecans. It is DELICIOUS...

I haven't given anything up for Lent in a few years. (No, I am not Catholic, but I really respect the idea of Lent. I think it can be viewed as a Christian practice--and I'm definitely a Christian!) And truthfully I wasn't really planning on it this year. Then on Wednesday morning I saw that a friend was giving up Facebook for Lent, and I really liked the idea. So after giving it some fairly detailed thought, I'm going for it. I signed off Facebook for forty days. And so far I'm doing okay! My hope is that I'll learn I don't NEED to spend time every day online doing my Social Networking. I'd really prefer to network in the real world, after all. That kind of 'social' seems a lot healthier, anyway.

Tangled comes out on DVD/Blue-ray in 17 days. WOOHOO!!

Skyler gave me this balloon on Valentine's Day and it is STILL afloat in my living room nearly a month later. Impressed? You should be. That thing has staying power!

A Few Quick Notes

2011-03-07T10:52:00.000-08:00

Dear Jonagold Apple-

I'm writing to express my displeasure in your general state of being. An apple should be crisp and break off into big chunks in my mouth when I bite into it. When I bite into your reddish-gold flesh I instead get a less-than-satisfying slushy pull of apple-ness. Boo. Shape up, please. SHAPE UP.

*me*
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear Sacramento Cab Company--

The airport is really close to my hotel. Really. It took us all of 15 minutes to get there. So why the $40 fare, cab company? That's ridiculous. I took a no-name white van shuttle service back to the airport for less than $20--in case you wondered why I didn't call for a ride back to the airport on Saturday. Boo on you and your ridiculous fares.

*me*
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear Philadelphian--

Your restaurant is gross. There is grease and all sort of nasty all over the place; I fear I'll contract a disease when I'm still 20 feet from the front door. Be that as it may...I will still be darkening your door regularly because you make one dang good sandwich! I applaud you for that and offer my most fervent thanks for an absolutely incredible meal Saturday night. I still might suggest cleaning the place up a bit...but then, it does give y'all some character.

*me*
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear SyFy--

I adore your new show Being Human. The combination of ghost, werewolf and vampire is absolutely absurd and I should be embarrassed by this but I seriously LOVE IT. What do I not love about this? Explain the silly block on Hulu, Syfy. Why do I have to wait 30 DAYS for a new episode? 30 DAYS! I thought we were better friends than that. Lame, Syfy. LAAAAAAME.

*me*
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear Cream Cheese frosting--

Never change.

*me*
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear Disneyland--

I miss you. I miss your churros, Toy Story Mania madness, parades, and overall happy vibe. Its been far too long since we've been friends. I think we both agree this is a tragedy. Do you have any ideas on how to remedy this situation soon?

Keep on with the magic--and see what you can do about having Corn Dog Castle open next time we get together.

*me*
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear Sydney Carton-

You are the Bomb-Diggety--especially as fictional characters go.

*me*
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear Universe--

Life is currently AWESOME (minus a few bad Jonagold apples and things of that sort). Your focus and attention to detail is exemplary--the UFO "coincidence" was BRILLIANT. Keep up the good work!

*me*

A Final Nod to the "27 in 27"

2011-02-21T16:09:00.000-08:00

Believe it or not, the big 2-8 is just around the corner! With that in mind, I thought it only proper to take last year's Bucket List and give a brief rundown of it all. Did I cross everything off? Nope. But I did try, and I can say that I have had A LOT of fun this year. Some of these I know I've reported on in the past, but we'll give a synopsis of the entire thing in one fell swoop, anyway.

1. Take a road trip
California here we come! Caryn, Greg, and I ventured to the sunny climes of California at the beginning of June.

2. Reach my weight goal
Nope. Didn't hit this one, but I'm close! 7 lbs. away. And I'm working the Livestrong.com calorie counter to try and make it happen soon.

3. Go camping Trips with my ward and my family--two weekends in a row! Love it.

4. Make a new friend I made a number of new friends this year! Shouts outs to Jen M. and Skyler, in particular.

5. Finish the quilt I started last year
Its brilliant. I love it. Its on my couch 24/7 and makes me happy happy happy!

6. Buy a house
I barely remember a time I wasn't living in this cute little condo of mine.

7. Lose a bad habit
Sorry--no details for y'all on this one. Just know...still working on it.

8. Run a race--10K, half marathon or Ragner Relay I tackled a 10K and a half marathon last spring. Looking forward to my first 10K of 2011 next month!

9. Do something entirely new to me Snowshoeing? Awesome. But I could also count the multitude of new tasks I've been tackling in my new position at work. Lots of new stuff there, believe you me!

10. Finish the National Boards process Finished with bonus points because I passed in November!!

11. Get a massage The real tragedy here is that I've only gotten ONE this year. That should change.

12. Enjoy a mutually desirable kiss This was a buzzer beater, coming in with just a week to spare! I cannot complain, though. It fit the bill by definitely being enjoyable...

13. Visit all the temples in Utah I have not yet been to Okay, this one needs more explanation. No, I did not visit all the temples. I began a concerted effort last spring and summer. I've been to the Draper, Timpanogas, Bountiful, Ogden, Salt Lake, Jordan, Oquirrh, Provo and St. George temples. But it struck me one afternoon that I was spending all this time traveling when, well, the work is the same--no matter what temple you're in. So I basically dropped this entire goal in about July and focused just on attending the temple regularly all year. Good lesson learned.

14. Do something that scares me Oh where to begin?! Meeting new people scares me, but I went to my new ward and actually introduced myself and made real effort to get to know people. Calling men up on the phone for a date scares me, but I called him anyway and it worked out pretty darn well ;) Risking looking like a fool scares me, but I flew solo to a Swing Dance one weekend anyway...and did look the fool, in case you were wondering. This one will always be a challenge, but I tackled it more than once this year.

15. Read Jesus the Christ Read it. Loved it. Recommend it to all.

16. Give someone a nickname that sticks I think this one was just an epic fail. *sigh* My only connection with nicknames this year was hating a few that were "gifted" to friends. The success here was that I didn't claw anybody's eyeballs out about it.

17. Go to a U of U football game WOOHOO!! Thanks to Greg and family for taking me along!!

18. Do something spontaneous A lot of my spontaneity this year involved stopping at bakeries in Salt Lake and NYC. This is a good form of spontaneity, in case there was any doubt.

19. Take a class unrelated to teaching Swing Dancing at DF Studios in Salt Lake City. Crazy fun times. You should all do it.

20. Visit a historical site
Federal Hall in New York City and The Alamo in San Antonio. SKIDOOSH!

21. Fall in love with a new band
Now, this just needed to be a new band to ME. And my band o' the year was most definitely Train. I'm sort of addicted to "If It's Love," "Marry Me" and, of course, "Soul Sister." Just can't get enough!!

22. Engage in a significant service to another
I don't know on this one...I mean, I participated in service projects, helped out some people here and there, but I don't know if I actually achieved the true purpose behind the goal. ALAS.

23. Watch a sunrise or sunset with somebody I love
Nope. Well, if we did it wasn't anything so memorable that I thought, "Yes! Crossing this one off the list!" I'll see what I can do to make it happen eventually. Doesn't it just sound lovely?!

24. Send thank-you cards I really can't get enough. I love thank-you cards!

25. Go "Green" Recycling. Reusable grocery sacks. I just need a Prius and I'd be set...

26. Practice civic responsibility in a tangible way Giving blood. Saving lives.

27. Do something that makes me feel like a kid again
Staying up extraordinarily late during holiday vacations to read popular fictional novels? Don't mind if I do.

Pictures from here
and my own camera :)

February 14th

2011-02-15T13:15:00.000-08:00

Remember #12? Yeah, me too. One word: CHECK!

Hope your Valentine's Day was as fun as mine.

Meet My Faves: Arianne

2011-02-13T14:43:00.000-08:00

Episode 5 in this little series is long overdue. Arianne is one of my best and oldest friends--in the sense that I've known her for a long time. Not that she's an old lady. Because she isn't! She's a spry soon-to-be mom with a truly winning personality! We first met in 7th grade math class (and I am really grateful she forgave me our very first introduction since I was sort of a snotty beast as a pre-teen), cemented our friendship in a shared love of Mike Damus and TGIF's short-lived sitcom Teen Angel, and went on to be roommates at BYU. The rest is a chapter from the History of Awesome. She is one of my best friends in the world, my go-to for great advice, and just a generally delightful girl with a firm grip.

Best Thing: Arianne is my unpaid therapist from afar. She gives every situation a logical spin and usually leaves me laughing about things too.

Worst Thing: Its going to start sounding redundant, and you'll think all my friends live far away, but it really is terrible that she lives in Texas! My trip earlier this month was the first real quality time we've had together in YEARS. (Move back to Utah...)

Where are you from?
Utah--West Jordan until age 14 and Brigham City for high school

What do you do for a living?
My husband and I work from home selling child custody software online. I do the search engine optimization (writing a lot of content to put on the internet and hoping that Google rank us high for certain key words).

What is your favorite comfort food?
Mashed potatoes

What color is your bedspread?
Maroon, green, and gold

What book/movie has had a major impact on you?
My Name is Asher Lev by Chaim Potek

What is your favorite word?
Pumpernickel

What is your best color?
Blue

What is your favorite restaurant?
Olive Garden

What is one material possession you couldn't live without?
Since moving to Texas--air conditioning

Which cartoon character do you resemble the most?
Belle--because I like to read and sing while I walk down the street

Why do you think I like you so much?
Same reasons I like you--how can you not like someone who will stay up all night laughing with you?

What is the best compliment you could receive?
That I'm kind.

What is your favorite memory we have shared?
Any time when I cried or fell on the floor laughing...so, a lot of them. One of the best was coming up with the commercial for duct tape in the middle of the night and "This is Dr. Weaver. You may remember me from 'Dr. Weaver, Dr. Weaver'." Awesome.

What 3 words would best describe you?
Amused, Curious, Delightful

I Bite My Thumb At You

2011-01-23T21:23:00.000-08:00

A quick rant for you before I hit the sack tonight:

I am a reader and a movie watcher. As such, I generally enjoy seeing the film versions of books I liked. Even though we know that movies have been "ruining the book since 1920," I usually watch and enjoy with few complaints; most of these films are fairly true to the plot of the story--even if they have to bypass some of the side stories or small details. In pieces like Harry Potter or the epic LOTR Trilogy you have to skip things in filming--they're just too long and involved to capture every little piece in even a 3.5 hour* movie. Even the Twilight films, which most people would agree are TERRIBLE, at least follow the basic plot line of Meyer's books. Four stars for faithfulness to the material! Two thumbs down for general suckiness. Woohoo!

The point in all of this is that I will forgive a lot when they're trying to translate book to screen. But I get really peeved when they (whomever THEY are...) take an incredibly awesome book to the Silver Screen with the same title, but only loooooosely base their movie on what happens in the story. Case in Point--The Power of One. The book is amazing. One of the best things I read in 2010. Its an engrossing and involved tale of South Africa. The protagonist is a young English boy who has an almost mythical ability to span the many and various divisions in this country of "tribes." I loved it. So tonight I saw the movie. And was sorely disappointed. The script took out key characters and plot points, created new things that were never in the book, and generally changed a whole heck of a lot. The theme of the movie wasn't even close to the theme of the book, for heaven's sake! Boo.

Moral of the story is: Read the book. Skip the movie. Good night, ladies and gentlemen.

*Three and a half hours in a movie theater just really shouldn't happen, though. Let's be honest.

A List Among Lists

2011-01-20T06:41:00.000-08:00

Well hello there! Its been a long while since I've done any sort of update on the "27 in my 27th" list so I'm here to do some recap for all of you who are still interested. (Hi, Mom!) I'm going to blame my lack of "Return and Report"-ing to the fact that I'm currently surrounded by at least three "To Do" lists for various responsibilities...and its gettin' kind of crazy around here. Still--you deserve to hear how things are going!

Earlier this week I ventured up to the Red Cross to give my last blood donation before the next birthday hits. Giving blood was my way to cross #26 Practice Civic Responsibility in a Tangible Way off the list. When I made that goal I think I initially imagined it would have something to do with the politics of this country--being a more informed voter, participating in a campaign, etc. But politics lately have made me want to eat my own eyeballs, so getting stuck with a needle suddenly didn't look too bad. You can give blood every 60 days, and I've tried to go as soon as my 60 days were up. I did hit a bit of a speed bump in November/December. I attempted to give blood on two different occasions, but was turned away--once for low iron (Need to eat more hamburgers!) and once for low blood pressure (WHAT?!). But I passed muster this week and proudly showed off my red bandage and sticker. Give blood. Save a life.

Going right down the list, I crossed off #27 Do Something That Makes Me Feel Like a Kid Again during Christmas break. I probably should have made my little sister stay up all night long on Christmas Eve waiting for Santa--playing games, reading, and watching the time slooooowly creep by. But we were both exhausted and, in fact, our parents had to wake US up on Christmas morning. Instead I went back to something I did a lot as a kid--stay up way too late reading book after book after book. When's the last time you did that?! So fun. For Christmas I gifted myself the opportunity to read the Hunger Games series. I devoured them (figuratively, of course) and stayed up late reading. With my bedside lamp on and the hour growing increasingly late...I felt like a kiddo--but instead of reading about the the Sweet Valley Twins or Nancy Drew's sleuthing I was reading about Katniss and Peeta and the Capitol. It was so fun, and so full of happy.Finally, I can happily report I've been working very hard on #24 Send Thank-you Cards. This is definitely a dying art, and I doubt my influence is large enough to change the world entirely. However, I have made a concerted effort to remember to write out a card and send it along to the fine people who deserve my show of gratitude. (And if I missed you, please don't read this to mean that you didn't deserve gratitude. Interpret the lack of Thank You card as me not achieving perfection. Again.) Its really not hard, and it really doesn't take long. And I really do believe it makes a difference. Let it be noted that I have no intention of ceasing this practice just because I've reported in to the Blogosphere. For example, if you bring me a birthday present next month I will make every effort to reward your kindness with a handwritten note. Win-Win-WIN!

There's just about a month left and by my figuring, I've got 11 more goals to achieve--or at least to tell you about. Here's hoping the next 30 days are truly productive! (Especially that pesky #12...)

Happy Things

2011-01-07T14:37:00.000-08:00

My new job has been making me really happy. I'm sure a few things might pop up that are frustrating or distasteful--every job has a few, after all. But at the end of Week #1 I haven't found that many of them. Rather, I find myself just counting the blessings of this position. Here are a few for you to consider with me:

I don't go into work until 8:00 am. This means I can get up at 5:00 am, work out at the gym, drive home and ready myself and still have time to eat breakfast before heading in to the office.

My boss is also my friend. Working with friends is The Best. My boss is also a fan of Smart Cookies (having introduced her to them myself!) and is entirely in favor of working them in whenever and wherever possible.

For my new position I've been given a 32 GB iPod Touch, a Flip Camera, and a new MacBook Pro. I love new toys. I also spent an entire work day (or almost an entire day) playing with the iPod. And that's okay because I was SUPPOSED TO.

There aren't any papers to grade, or lessons to plan, or students to tutor after the work day. So when the clock hits 4:00 pm I get to go home and do whatever I want. So if I want to watch 3 episodes of Criminal Minds on Ion? Yeah, I can do that.

Really life has just been pretty good as of late. So for your viewing pleasure (and really, take some time to think about each one...they're fab), a list of other things I find to be truly happiness-inducing:

Getting a package in the mail

Knowing there are good leftovers in the fridge
Having fun plans for the weekend
Vacations
The Apple Store
Reading a great book
Mittens
Hallmark cards
Free stuff
Having a really great workout
Songs by Train ("If It's Love" rocks my world)
Cake
Eating breakfast at home
Gaining a little perspective--Thanks Judy J.!
Movie nights in class
Smart Cookie
Seeing wild animals in the city (Live ones, that is...)

Pumpkin steamers
A new ringtone
Reading before bedtime
The temple
Hot chocolate
Birthdays

What makes you happy lately?

Mitten photo here

Goodbye to My Boys

2011-01-05T21:51:00.000-08:00

My two Disney bros--and two of my best friends--left this week for new adventures elsewhere in the country. Keith is off to Texas to make America's fighter jets even better than they are; Greg is headed to California to live "The Dream" of making it big in Hollywood. They're both Rockstars so I'm sure they'll do amazing!

But don't you think its just a tad unfair that they both left me within days of each other!? I know. Its cruel. I'm already missing them boatloads, but what are you gonna do? (Answer: Cry. That's what you're gonna do.) Despite a few tears shed, I really am wishing my very best to them both; they deserve it.

Goodnight and Good luck to you Keith and Greg! Mucho Disney love flowing in your respective directions. And, of course, always sending the good vibes your way.

Hey Howdy Hey! Its the 2010 Roundup!

2010-12-31T09:39:00.000-08:00

Every year that I tackle this I can't help but feel the past 365 days flew by faster than a speeding rabbit in a creepy car commercial. But here we are again, speeding Sylvilagus audubonii aside, to run down the Top Ten most important/exciting/influential/awesome Events of my life in 2010.

1. Purchasing My Very Own Condo: I bought my very own place in 2010. I started the process in February and closed in April. I've been living here since the beginning of May and really just love it. I recognize this is a HUGE milestone in life, so it could rightly take up more than one space on the Top Ten List. But it won't.

2. Achieved National Board Certification: Working on National Boards made the 2009 Top Ten because it was such an overwhelming, time-consuming thing. But in 2010 I not only finished the process--I also passed. I am officially a National Board Certified Teacher as of November 2010, and if you don't know how awesome that is...I'm here to tell you that IT IS.

3. Two Weeks in the Big Apple: Two years ago I did two weeks on the East Coast--splitting my time between NYC and Charlottesville, VA. This year it was all NYC, all the time. I spent about a week at Columbia University at a Gilder Lehrman History seminar, and I spent the rest of the time touring one of my favorite cities in the world with Mariah and Greg. Good times were had.

4. Last Day at SHMS: I accepted a new position at the District Offices (starting Jan. 3rd!), so I had to say goodbye to my friends and students at SHMS. Its a truly bittersweet thing--I've been teaching there since I graduated from college, and like to think I was becoming something of an Institution in the Social Studies Department. But...onward and upward, right? New adventures await in 2011, and some doors closed in 2010.

5. Audra McDonald at Hale Center Theater-Orem: I can't deny that the opportunity to see Ms. Audra McDonald in 110 in the Shade was one of the best moments of my year. She is electric and talented and really a wonder to see. I feel so lucky to have been in the audience for one night. A-mazing.

6. Second Job: In March I accepted a position at a local night school for GED candidates. I work one night a week, teaching high school-level US History to an eclectic group of learners. Its pretty good pay for a teacher, and it gives me opportunity to teach material I otherwise wouldn't. I still might complain--now and again--about working one night a week, but in reality I know its a great blessing to have such a great gig.

7. A New Ward: After moving into my condo, and after 5 years in the University 16th Ward, I moved my records to the Singles Ward in my area. It was a little scary at first, but the members of my new ward are AWESOME to the MAX. And I love it. My first calling--Ward Music Chair. What can I say? Its what I do. In every ward. Oh well--just happy to serve!

8. Year of the Cookie: Looking back I realized I spent a good number of hours/days this year seeking out and trying the best cookies I could find. My posts from NYC made this pretty clear (Oh Levain! How I love you!), and I also perused numerous bakers in the SLC area to find scrumptious baked delights. My local heart currently belongs to SmartCookie, but I'm always on the lookout to be swayed. It just hasn't happened yet.

9. MacBook: I bought my very own laptop this year. This past week, in fact! I feel so grown-up making such a big purchase. But more than that...I feel awesome. And my MacBook is really just SOOOO pretty!

10. The "27 in my 27th Year" List: I can't deny that my year has been rather caught up in working through the 27 goals I gave myself in February. A number of "updates" are actually long overdue (I'll get on those when I can!), and I am starting to realize that some will not be achieved by Feb. 22nd. However, I know my life was very much enriched this year in my pursuit of crossing things off this year-long "Bucket List." A few notable AWESOME things brought on by the list:

Making new friends like Jen, Colette, James, and Skyler
Taking a class and learning to Swing Dance
Roadtrippin' to California with Greg and Caryn
Running 5Ks, 10Ks, and one Half-Marathon
Camping with the Fam

All in all--2010 wasn't the most THRILLING 365 days I've ever had. But I think the highs were pretty darn high, and the lows were few and far between. And really, you can't complain too much about a life like that.

Cookie Pic here.

A Parting Gift

2010-12-21T07:36:00.000-08:00

I think my students wanted to make me really happy just before I abandoned them to a new teacher. You know, make me miss them all the more? Your average group of kids might have tried to accomplish this by acing the final test--go out with a real Bang!, if you will. My kids are not average. No, my kids go above and beyond such mundane ideas. Rather than acing the Revolutionary War test, they went one better. They gave some of the most hilarious, unexplainable, and flat-out WRONG answers I've seen in a long while. One even scored a whopping 14%.

Bless them.

So I thought I'd share a few of them with all of you. Merry Christmas, from my students to you!

Q: Who were the important people on the British side of the war? Name at least 3.
A: "Corn Walish"

A: "Nathaniel Greene; Calvin Klein"

A: "The three important people were George Washington."

Q: What was the last battle of the Revolutionary War?
A: "Battle of the Titans"

Q: How did the British Parliament respond to the Boston Tea Party?
A: "They were very upset because they were getting better ideas."

[I assume the second "they" means the people of Boston...?]

Q: What happened at the Boston Massacre?
A: "Benedict Arnold went around the city warning people that the British were coming."

Q: What were the major difficulties facing the Continental Army?
A: “Continental Army had a peninsula that they were on.”

A: “Never stopped coming (popping in)”

[The answer did, in fact, include the mysterious parenthetical statement just as I typed it.]

Q: How did colonists react to the Stamp Act?
A: "They formed the brothers and sisters of liberty."

A: "They protested and picked up arms."

Q: Describe what happened at the Battle of Trenton and include who won.
A: “George Washington's men put fireworks on for the other side to think they were still partying but they actually snuck over the Delaware River and attacked them."

[And THAT'S why we celebrate Independence Day with fireworks! But...not really.]

A: “I think Trenton had won the battle between Lexington.”

A: “I think it was when George crossed the ? River and attacked the British…surprise. The Continental Army did.”

[Do you love how they're on a first name basis with Mr. Washington? I do.]

A: “George Washington snook up on the Hessiens when it was Xmas”

A: “The Americans won! It was epic!”

A: “The British made Washington retreat. The Americans went across the Delaware River and it became a painting**. Washington won.”

**The Painting in question. Found here.

Q: How did the Revolutionary War change America?
A: "The Revolutionary war changed America by helping its people know that one by one they suck but united they can rock the world wide."
[Let it be noted that this is the last question on the test, and I think the student in question had reached a breaking point since he'd only attempted answers on 8 of the 21 questions. Thus I'm sure in some ways the Revolutionary War does make him feel like he sucks. He doesn't suck, though I must confess his grasp of American history could probably be classified as 'sucky.']

And, with no further adieu, my absolute favorite!

Q: What year was the Declaration of Independence signed?
A: Benjamin Franklin

What else is there to say? Goodnight, and Good luck.

Mucho Love to These

2010-12-19T07:30:00.000-08:00

Its Christmas time. I've probably never been busier in a holiday season than this year, and thus the lack of posts all month long. But despite my absence from the Blogosphere, I have been alive and doing what I do best--organizing, shopping, and eating. Mostly in that order. So may I share a few things I adore about the holidays? Mainly those things that fall into that last category of my life--eating--but maybe a few more.They're only available at Christmas Time. And I love them. Candy Cane Tootsie Pops. DELISH! I took some to the WJHS Christmas Concert Thursday night for our own personal "concessions" at intermission. Yummy yum yum! They can be a little hard to find. I got mine at Target, for all you putting them on your shopping lists now.

Clementines. They're brilliant. Small and delicious. Sweetness with no seeds. Has anyone ever put the ENTIRE thing in your mouth at once? I've been tempted many a time, but generally side with not looking gross, and savoring each individual section. Only problem with the smallness of clementines is how fast they disappear into my mouth. But then, they're so small, you really can be okay to eat two. Or more. At a time.

I experienced my first Ugly Sweater Party this season. Ours was a Non-Denominational Ugly Sweater Pie Social, because let's be honest--adding pie to anything makes it better and its the Christian thing to do at Christmas to welcome people of all holiday persuasions. (Our party only attracted MORMONS, in case you were wondering.) Ugly Sweaters were displayed; pie was consumed; fun was had. Its a good time. If you don't have an Ugly Sweater--keep your eyes out. I'd suggest looking at Savers. I think every holiday season needs at least one gathering of ugly, yet cozy, sweater style. And really, there's still time for you to join in the fugly festivities this year. Get plannin' peeps!

Settebello Pizza in Salt Lake City is amazing. This marks the second Christmas Season in a row I've ventured downtown to eat there with friends, and I am hereby declaring it a Christmas Tradition. Its so good that I know I'll be keeping this part of Christmas with me all through the year, but still. So so so good. I love it. A lot. Its the kind of pizza you eat until you're full, but your mouth still wants to eat more and more. And given the opportunity you would readily ignore your full stomach and dive in for more. Best pizza I've ever had. Hands down. Love it.

Last Christmas Elisa gifted me this fabulous little book by David Sedaris--Holidays on Ice. I finally got around to reading it this holiday season, and enjoyed it quite thoroughly. The first story is my favorite Sedaris piece--"The Santaland Diaries," but I found a new one I'm obsessed with--"Six to Eight Black Men." Do yourself a favor and take 10-15 minutes to listen to Mr. Sedaris read it himself. Its awesome. Consider this link to the video a holiday gift from me to you.

Enjoy the Holiday Season!

Reflecting Back

2010-12-17T18:57:00.000-08:00

On Wednesday I'll be leaving the middle school where I've worked for 5.5 years. I'm moving on to a new and exciting position at the District Office, and I'm really quite stoked about it. But the end of all things at SHMS has been pretty overwhelming. Cleaning out my classroom, preparing materials for the new teacher, and all whilst trying to balance the Holiday season...has been crazy.

But I still took some time to reflect back on my years at the Middle School. With no further adieu--what I'll miss. And, as this is from me, a rundown of those things I most definitely will NOT.

What I Will Miss:

My faculty buddies from B Lunch and C Lunch
My laptop
Random treats from the administration or friends
Scaring 7th Graders
My truly awesome classroom with the sweet mounted LCD projector
Cameron H., Damon M., Courtney C., and my entire 1st period.
Having a captive audience to listen to my stories
Creating awesome lesson plans and unit plans (And yes, mine are usually awesome.)
The annual hilarity from the Civil War and Revolutionary War final exams

What I Will NOT Miss:

Parents
Back to School Night and Parent Teacher Conferences
IEP, 504, and other parent meetings (many of which are entirely unnecessary.)
8th Period announcements
The Talent Show assembly; the Dance Assembly; Assemblies as a general rule
The Copy Room full of copiers that never work
Grading essays
Filling requests for assignments for sick or suspended students...and never getting any work back.
Faculty Meetings

Be it happy or sad, I can't deny its happening--so on to the next adventure life is throwing at me! When I report to work after Christmas, I'll be sitting in a cubicle in the District Office. Huh. Put it that way and an hour-long faculty meeting might be starting to look pretty good...

Just kidding.

Gratitude Week: Last Day!

2010-11-27T21:53:00.001-08:00

In honor of Thanksgiving, I will be Blogging each day this week about those things I feel most grateful for this year. Fair warning--they're bound to range from the inspiring to the mundane. But such is life, no?Tonight I'm realizing how many things--how many people--I have not expressed gratitude for this week. And though it might seem a bit cliche, its what we do. Come along for the ride, won't you?

I am grateful for so many good friends who entertain me, love me, craft with me, support me, and listen to me. Sometimes all at the same time. Shout outs to Greg, Arianne, Jamie, Emily, Andrea, Jen, Elisa, Mariah, Keith, Toffer...and the list goes on and on.

I am grateful for the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I feel so blessed to be a part of it, and for all the aspects that make my life amazing every day. I'm grateful for General Conferences, missionaries (like my lil' bro!), the scriptures, Preach My Gospel, CES Firesides, Institute, and the Temple.

I'm grateful for places that make me happy--Hale Center Theater, Yogurtland, Smart Cookie, Disneyland, Mom & Dad's house, and the Gene Fullmer Rec Center.

I'm grateful for Biggest Loser for inspiring me every Tuesday night to work out harder Wednesday morning. In this same vein, I am grateful for Livestrong.com. Their Calorie Counter application has made a major difference in my health this year.

I'm grateful for Sensodyne toothpaste that doesn't aggravate canker sores.

I'm grateful for Hulu.com. My TV reception is often terrible and my schedule is often packed. I'm glad I can still watch my favorite TV Shows on my own schedule.

I am grateful for books. I'm especially grateful for Favorite Books that continue to be amazing old friends every time I open them.

I am grateful for Student Teachers that make my work life easier by giving me more time to do things other than teach.

I am grateful for Groupon, for obvious reasons.

I am grateful for water--the greatest beverage in the world.

I am grateful for goal setting. I haven't done a sticker chart in a while, but my "27 in my 27th" list has been a great motivator this year.

I'm grateful to all of you who are still reading this. Life is good. This list could go on endlessly, so I'll make it end. Now.

Happy Gratitude Week 2010!!

Picture from Wordpress

Gratitude Week: Friday

2010-11-26T11:23:00.000-08:00

In honor of Thanksgiving, I will be Blogging each day this week about those things I feel most grateful for this year. Fair warning--they're bound to range from the inspiring to the mundane. But such is life, no?
Today I'm grateful for music. I may or may not have just engaged in a short solo Kitchen Dance to my current Pandora Station. And that may or may not have been the reason for my great feelings of gratitude today.

I love music. I love making music, listening to music, dancing to music, and sometimes even pretending to compose music. Yes, pretending. I am NEVER successful so its more like an imaginative game.

I have eclectic music tastes and most artists and genres will pass muster with me. I love songs with a good beat that I can dance or run to. I love songs with great lyrics that move me and make me thing. I love music with no lyrics at all.

I appreciate that I have some musical ability to sing and play music. And I appreciate that I can recognize rhythm.

I am grateful that we live in a world with so many types of music, because really life without music would be sad indeed. No soundtracks to backup your movies or your life. No tunes to wake you up in the morning. Nothing to car dance to in the middle of a traffic jam. No beautiful hymns to join in with during Church services. No happiness, I'm sure.

I love music. I'm grateful for music. And, if you don't mind, I think I'll jump back in with some more kitchen dancing since this is wrapping up pretty quick. Having music in my life--for that I am truly grateful.

Click here for one of my favorites to dance to!

Photo from howstuffworks.com

Gratitude Week: Thanksgiving Day!

2010-11-25T20:40:00.001-08:00

In honor of Thanksgiving, I will be Blogging each day this week about those things I feel most grateful for this year. Fair warning--they're bound to range from the inspiring to the mundane. But such is life, no?
I'm composing this Blog post from the comfort of my couch, Esteban. I'm cozy in pajamas and I know the warmth and happiness of bedtime is just around the corner. I'm looking forward to bedtime because I am all tuckered out with the games, visiting, and other Thanksgiving festivities. And I'm also really, really FULL. My belly is tight with turkey, stuffing, rolls, mint slush, cranberry fluff salad, and multiple slices of pie. In this situation, its hard to settle on just one thing to write about in a post on gratitude. But then I realize that I'm literally "settled on" the perfect topic.

Tonight I am grateful for my home and everything inside it--including Esteban the Couch. Three bedrooms, a ginormous walk-in closet, two bathrooms, plenty of storage, and a lovely living room/kitchen space make up my little house. And I love my little house. I'm so grateful that all the pieces fell into place this past Spring, allowing me to become the homeowner of this merry pad.

I'm grateful that just over a year ago I decided to grow up a bit and purchase a wonderful bed and an heavenly mattress set. Its the centerpiece of my bedroom and it makes bedtime one of my favorite parts of the entire day.

I'm grateful that my foray into furniture shopping this autumn was so successful. I left Furniture Row the new owner of not only the coziest couch this side of the Mississippi, but also a chair that perfectly matches my home interior and is comfy to boot! (For those of you wondering about the coziest couch on the other side of the River, it can be found in a 3rd floor apartment on Broadway in the Washington Heights neighborhood of New York City.)

I'm grateful that being inside my house gives me a peaceful, happy feeling. A feeling that makes me look forward--everyday--to going home. That's what we all deserve, really. So on this Thanksgiving Night, safe and happy and warm in my lovely little home, I'm feeling truly grateful.

Photo by Me

Gratitude Week: Wednesday

2010-11-24T20:48:00.001-08:00

In honor of Thanksgiving, I will be Blogging each day this week about those things I feel most grateful for this year. Fair warning--they're bound to range from the inspiring to the mundane. But such is life, no?

Today I'm grateful for my job. Perhaps I'm feeling so grateful because there's no work until Monday and its payday, but be that as it may I am grateful for steady employment.

I've been teaching history for going on six years now. Despite the occasional "craptacular" day, I really enjoy my job. I appreciate that its different every day--a new topic to teach with a new lesson plan. And since you're dealing with the constantly changing teenage psyche, its usually an adventure.

I appreciate that I have amazing students this year who make me laugh and keep me on my toes.

I appreciate my awesome co-workers. I've made some lasting friendships with other teachers at my school.

I appreciate colleagues who encourage me to tackle crazy things like National Boards (I passed!), Gilder Lehrman seminars, and even new positions that will stretch me in ways I never considered.

I also appreciate having a second teaching position once a week with an entirely different set of learners. The extra pay is nice, and working with an older group of students is kind of refreshing. Plus I can get away with watching the Spot Collins classic, Newsies, for class by tying it into our study of Labor Unions. Woohoo!

As one who loves to be productive, I appreciate having a job and a place to work each day. And I'm really grateful my job is fun and rewarding to boot! On this Thanksgiving Eve, pondering how this job allows me holidays, weekends, and other large chunks of time OFF work...I'm even more grateful. So thinking of my awesome job, tonight I am truly thankful.

Photo from dorisday.net

Gratitude Week: Tuesday

2010-11-23T18:51:00.000-08:00

In honor of Thanksgiving, I will be Blogging each day this week about those things I feel most grateful for this year. Fair warning--they're bound to range from the inspiring to the mundane. But such is life, no?

Today I'm grateful for warm things. Its blustery, blizzardy snowy-ness outside. And the temps are bitter cold. The very idea of having to go out in it tomorrow to drive to work is disgusting. With an attitude of gratitude, though, I can say I'm honestly grateful for all the warmth I'm surrounded by right now.

I'm grateful for sweatshirts. Hoodies are amazing. I'm wearing two.

I'm grateful for hot chocolate. I like to boil the water on the stove so its uber-hot, thus allowing me to warm my hands for minutes on end around the toasty cup.

I'm grateful for my furnace.

I'm grateful for slipper socks. Especially the blue and gray kind with Mickey Mouse on top. I love that the "sock" aspect allows me to wear them and my black fuzzy slippers. That's right--doubled up on the slippers, too.

I'm grateful for blankets. I love piling blankets on my bed so that I can burrow under them and sleep toasty warm with cold air surrounding me. That's actually how I sleep best. And I'm certainly grateful for sleep, but that's another post for another day.

I'm also grateful for those things--some intangible--that make me feel warm inside. Things like exchanging texts with a friend while we both watch a favorite TV show in our respective homes, making exciting plans, getting a package in the mail, or wearing a new outfit and wearing it well.

I love warmth--especially on a snowy night. To be warm on a night like this? For that I am truly grateful.

Picture from coverbrowser.com

Gratitude Week: Monday

2010-11-22T14:59:00.000-08:00

In honor of Thanksgiving, I will be Blogging each day this week about those things I feel most grateful for this year. Fair warning--they're bound to range from the inspiring to the mundane. But such is life, no?

Today I'm thankful for my family. All of them! Growing up I never really thought of myself as close to my family, but now I can see that we are TIGHT. And its awesome.

I'm grateful for amazing parents who love me and support me in all I do. I love that they get excited when I come by {which I do ALL the time}, and invite me to movies and dinner and all sorts of things.

I'm grateful for siblings who I can talk to and hang out with pretty much anytime and its a good time. I'm grateful that we're all friends now, despite many fights and unfortunate words sometimes thrown at each other as kids.

I'm grateful for some pretty awesome in-laws who I actually like. Am I alone in fearing my siblings would marry strange and/or creepy people? I'm glad they didn't.

I'm grateful for my adorable nephews and niece. I seriously love these kids and cannot get enough of them! So glad they came to our family.

The bonus in all of this is that with Thanksgiving being a low-key family holiday--I'll get to see them lots and lots. And for that, I am truly grateful.

Gratitude Week: Sunday

2010-11-21T18:35:00.000-08:00

In honor of Thanksgiving, I will be Blogging each day this week about those things I feel most grateful for this year. Fair warning--they're bound to range from the inspiring to the mundane. But such is life, no?

I am grateful for Dessert, especially that of the Baked Goods variety. Perhaps this stems from my experiment last year of abstaining from all sweets for a school year. Or perhaps its because its the American Way. In either case, I am so grateful for the wide variety of treats available to me. Whether homemade or created in a bakery, I find great happiness in the occasional treat. To be more specific, this year I am especially thankful for:

Smart Cookies
Ginger/Molasses Cookies (in all their varieties)
Red Velvet Cake
Pie
Nearly Perfect Chocolate Chip cookies (I found multiple in NYC)
Crumbs Cupcakes
Pumpkin Swirl Brownies

This has been a splendid year for the baked goods in my life. And for this, I am truly grateful.

A Book Review for #15

2010-11-05T17:48:00.000-07:00

In April, I began the journey to accomplish goal #15 Read Jesus the Christ by James E. Talmage from the 27 in 27 list. It is a really long book, and definitely not one I could have sat down and read as the only book on my Reading List. Instead, I made it part of my daily scripture study--reading 10 or 15 minutes a day. And not even every day, to be honest. It took me 7 months, but it was absolutely worth it. This book is amazing.

I learned so much about the Savior's life and I feel I came to know Him a lot better. And really, that's what we're supposed to be doing, right? Learning about Him so we can become like Him. I know some people might be off-put by some of the highly intellectual language in the book--words like "tinctured" and "erstwhile" and "interdicted"--but really, you'll make it through.

I'm glad I made this one of my goals, and I'm really happy I'm able to cross it off the list. Its definitely one of the most spiritually fulfilling things I've done this year.

**Let it also be noted that my bookmark for the entire 7 months was a Spiderman stick-on tattoo. Does that mean something? You tell me.

Happy Anniversary!

2010-11-01T14:38:00.000-07:00

On November 1, 1995 I was tasked with playing flag football in my 1st period, 7th grade gym class. I was game, but my left knee wasn't. Before the end of the class period, I found myself on the floor with a dislocated kneecap, forced to listen to the inane babble of friends/teachers who were trying to keep me calm until the paramedics arrived. Yes, the paramedics. And though I understand now why they kept asking me stupid questions about what book I was currently reading or how my Halloween had gone the night before, I still maintain the questions are stupid when your standpoint is from the gymnasium floor and you're looking at your left leg that now appears to have TWO knees to it. Just sayin'...

Its been fifteen years since that "fateful" morning and its crazy to consider how much my life since then has been affected by a kneecap getting a little "out of joint."

Fearing a repeat (...which did happen multiple times. AUGH!), I began avoiding many physical activities. The obvious result there is that I got fat. As I got fat and out of shape, I didn't find much to like about myself and, ironically, I also upped the chances of another knee injury. And as I stagnated in a dislike for myself, other areas of my life were affected--especially socially. I sometimes joke that I went to BYU for four years--the land of happy engagements and crazy dating--and dated nobody. Its not really a joke, because that is how it went down for me. But I can see now why it went down that way. When you don't like yourself, you're not really sending out the positive, healthy vibes a possible marriage partner might respond to. Heck, I wouldn't want to date the person I was in college!

Sorry if this is starting to get really depressing. I promise there is a silver lining and here it comes!

You see...I figured some things out. And I started running and losing weight and getting healthy--physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Today, on my 15th Knee Anniversary, I'm happy with who I am. I'm aware of the limitations the genetic lottery has handed me in my crazy-jointed knees, but I don't obsess over it and I will actually jump into a game of volleyball or Ultimate Frisbee now and again. I still feel safer running in a straight line down the road, but at least I'm active! And happy. And its that journey to happiness that I now celebrate every November 1st.

Happy Knee Anniversary, all!

Here's to many more happy years to come.

You know you might be bored when....

2010-10-16T17:41:00.000-07:00

You watch Parts 1 through 4 of Robert Downey, Jr. on "Inside the Actor's Studio" via those happy people of Youtube, and also request his Academy Award nominated film Chaplin from the local library

You make an apple streusel pecan cake with no clear idea of when/how/by whom it will be consumed

You declare Popchips and a hard boiled egg to be "Dinner" because the afternoon snack was 600 calories of milk and cookies

You think about eating the last 200 calorie cookie BECAUSE YOU CAN!

You decide now is a good time to start at the first post of a random stranger's blog in February 2008 and work your way forward

You wander on and off Facebook hoping something has changed...but it hasn't. (Note: You can't stay on too long or people will notice that you've been on FB for 4 hours straight and start thinking you don't have a life. Its all about appearances...)

You start feeling pouty that you haven't actually signed up for Netflix because it would be perfect for a time like this. But you still don't sign up for Netflix.

You conveniently ignore at least two useful things that could be done (i.e. folding laundry, getting the mail)

You Blog about your boring afternoon.

That's another Utah...FIIIIIIRST DOWN!

2010-10-08T14:45:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago, through the graciousness of the Barnett family, I got to cross another goal (#17) off my 27 in 27th list. They offered me one of their season tickets to the University of Utah vs. San Jose State game at Rice-Eccles Stadium. It was AWESOME!!!

I was lucky enough to attend a game when the Utes played well and kicked some serious trash. The Utes beat the Spartans 56-3. It was totally wicked. And it was especially fun to watch the game with a lovely crowd of rather rabid Utah fans. Thanks Barnett Family!!

(I love that Gary is the only person aware AND making an effort (sorry Steve!) in this photo...)

Go Utes!

Fist Pump

2010-10-02T07:40:00.000-07:00

Word of Warning: Video does contain a few colorful words. But my overwhelming reaction to this is a fist pumping, barbaric YAWP! Right on, Mr. Mali. RIGHT ON.

Meet My Faves: Andrea

2010-09-20T07:17:00.000-07:00

Episode 4 of the Meet My Faves series moves into an entirely different part of my world--namely, the part of my world that involves students and textbooks and Elvis-impersonator assemblies. I met Andrea at the middle school where we worked. Seeing as we're both Sassy Single Social Studies afficionados, its no surprise we hit it off so quickly. Coworkers and students regularly mixed us up, and I think its just a good representation of what good friends we were meant to be.

I love that Andrea is hilarious--first and foremost. She's a total gem with a wannabe Bad-Girl side who I can always count on to try out tasty restaurants, tell an amazing story, and be a truly golden travel companion. Whether its an online chat, an evening over pizza, or an entire vacation in San Francisco, time with Andrea is always terrific. Since her departure from our workplace--and the country!--I have missed her pretty much every day.

Best Thing: She always makes me laugh, and she laughs at my stories too. We often do this while eating. Is that too many "best" things?

Worst Thing: She lives in England. Makes it difficult to socialize other than the regular Gchats.

Where are you from?
Well, I was born in Georgia, grew up in Salt Lake, and now live in England.

What do you do for a living?
I am currently a grad student so I'm spending money instead of making it. Before that, I was a history teacher. Chances are, I will return to that profession at some point.

What is your favorite comfort food?
Such a good question. I think it depends on what type of comfort I'm craving. If it's recovering from boy-induced heartache, I like just about anything that is not healthy. If it's something to do with being together with my family, it's hard to beat fresh baked bread with homemade jam.

What color is your bedspread?
The one I have now is white with maroon-ish flowers and beige leaves. I didn't choose it and it was a free hand me down, so beggars can't be choosers, right?

What book/movie has had a major impact on you?
Another excellent and difficult question. Book-wise I would have to say all of Chaim Potok's books (The Chosen, My Name is Asher Lev, etc.) have made a significant impact on me. I'm sure there are so many more. I think every book I have read has contributed a little to who I have become, whether for good or bad, I don't know. Movie-wise I remember being powerfully moved by Glory in 8th grade, to the point of sobbing in front of my entire class, and Saving Private Ryan.

What is your favorite word?
I've recently developed an attachment to the word 'penultimate.' I never use it, but I think it's fantastic.

What is your best color?
To wear, anything in the blue family

What is your favorite restaurant?
I don't have a favorite restaurant, but I have favorite dishes at a number of restaurants. I guess if I had to choose just one, though, I'd choose a little Thai restaurant called the Mekong Cafe. Everything there is delicious.

What is one material possession you couldn't live without?
Money

Which cartoon character do you resemble the most?
Physically: Alice in Wonderland; Personality-ly: Carl, the old guy on 'Up'

Why do you think I like you so much?
Because I'm hilarious and I think you're amazing.

What is the best compliment you could receive?
I always like to be told that I'm funny, but I think being recognized as being Christlike would be pretty good too.

What is your favorite memory we have shared?
There are a couple, but walking from San Francisco to Sausalito across the Golden Gate Bridge ranks pretty high. Visiting the Grand Canyon in a downpour is right up there, though.
[Editors Note: I thought it would be the time we stumbled into SanFrans Red Light district...]

What 3 words would best describe you?
open for business*

*For the record, this answer made me laugh out loud in the middle of a silent room, leading to several awkward looks from other people.

Exciting Times!

2010-09-14T13:13:00.000-07:00

The last couple weeks have been pretty terrific. I kept trying to Blog about life and then something else would happen before I could post so I'm finally going to stick them all on here in one big post. I was going to go in Chronological Order, but where's the fun in that? Too predictable. Instead--in order of excitement/awesomeness level.

Awesome Level = SOARING
I got a new job. I'm still working for Jordan School District, but I will no longer be teaching at my middle school as an 8th Grade US History teacher. Instead I am the Lead Teacher for the Jordan History Academy of Teachers. Its a 3-5 year position, depending on the length of the grant from the US Dept. of Ed. There are loads of perks to the position, including a trip to Boston, an iTouch, a workplace 2 minutes from my house, and the opportunity to work the year-round teacher schedule. Woohoo!!

Awesome Level = HIGH
I have learned to Swing Dance. I finished up my four-week class at DF Studios in Salt Lake last Thursday. It was SOOOOOO much fun! Am I good? I'm sure the answer is no. Am I willing to go out on the dance floor and give it my best? Heck yes I am! And by Thursday night I was feeling a lot better about my ability to actually go to a social swing dance and have a good time. This also checks #19 Take a Class Unrelated to Teaching off my 27 in 27th list. YES!

Awesome Level = ROCKIN'
Saturday night I went to the Sandy Amphitheater with some friends to see a totally rockin' Colors concert. Woohoo!! I first heard Colors when I was in high school. I've seen them in concert at least 4 times, and its always fabulous. Their music's so catchy! It was really fun to look around and see that most of the crowd was people like myself, re-living the glory days of college. Love it!

Awesome Level = SWISS
During Labor Day weekend I ventured to Midway with Greg, Taylor, Maddy, and Jeremiah to visit Swiss Days. Having never been, I was unaware that its basically a big art fair with performers and food abounding. And it was super fun! We ate ginormous scones and pie & ice cream. The guys all bought matching ties, and Maddy and I bought "matching" silverware rings. We saw some amazing Utah hair--including the biggest "bump it" coif I have ever seen. And we had an overall brilliant time--even if none of us came home on the shuttle with a giant metal sculpture.

Awesome Level = Ah-hem, FANTASY-TICAL
Friday night I hit up the Organ Loft with my sister and brother-in-law and a few great friends. The main show was a great Jackie Coogan piece. It was followed by an interesting/odd/artsy experimental film, "Utah Fantasy," featuring time lapse photography. My group of friends chuckled a bit over it. The "patrons" behind us didn't appreciate our amusement. I got "ah-hem"ed. Three times. And it totally made my night. The Carrot Cake Cheesecake I consumed later at the Cheesecake Factory was also a highlight of the evening.

Awesome Level = PRETTY DARN
Last Sunday the family loaded into a 15-passenger van and headed to Logan. My nephew, Charlie, was blessed in Sacrament Meeting. It was really great to see the Logan part of the family. Charlie's adorable!! We had a great luncheon afterward and it was nice to chat and visit with everybody. On the topic of nephews, I rode home next to Lil' Dude. He would NOT let me sleep, and he refused to nap too. *sigh* He's so cute I guess I didn't mind that much, though.

Awesome Level = MYSTERIOUS
Monday night I found myself caught up in the craziness of responding to a Homecoming invitation my little sister received over the weekend. The young man in question made Harry Potter his theme, so we responded in kind. In a whirlwind hour we put on a Poor Man's version of the Harry Potter Puppet Pals (Ours was entitled, "The Mysterious HOMECOMING Ticking Noise"), filmed it, and dropped it at the Homecoming Date's door via "Owl Post." Super cheesy, but so hilarious! Oh, and awesome, of course.

First Impressions

2010-09-01T06:21:00.001-07:00

I asked my 8th graders to write a 1-page response paper on their first few days of school. I suggested they could share their thoughts on any of their classes or they could just focus on my class and even on me as their teacher. I emphasized that I would never grade their response papers on the content, but rather on their ability to think and write about their thoughts.

That being said--a few gems:

"Your hair is like the Mad Hatter's in Alice in Wonderland."

"...and make sure you get a boyfriend by the end of the year so maybe you would give us less work."

"You should go out with Mr. Howard [student teacher from last year]."

"By the way my thirty seven and thirty nine year old aunts are still single so there is still hope for you."

Rather than be offended, these make me really, really happy. I think our future year together looks very bright, indeed.

Goodbye Summer

2010-08-23T15:54:00.000-07:00

Summer break is over. I had to report back to work today for policy meetings and other boring, boring, BORING types of things. It’s a tad depressing to be back at it, but there’s nothing to be done. This summer was really fun, but also really busy. In the midst of that fun busy-ness, I was able to check two more things off my list.

I visited a number of awesome historical sites while on vacation in New York City. Check #20 off the list! I spent an afternoon with Jake G. and he showed me around the Financial District in Lower Manhattan. Specifically, we went to Trinity Church, Wall Street, and Federal Hall. I loved Federal Hall. It was here that George Washington was sworn in as the first US President. Pretty darn nifty. Let me also note that after our sightseeing we ate at a really yummy Afghan restaurant in Hell’s Kitchen. Delight!

I also had a chance to go camping (#3)—twice! Two weekends in a row, I went on an overnight camp of some sort. The first was with my ward at Lava Hot Springs in Idaho, and the second was with the fam at Lilly Lake Campground in the Uintah National Forest. I loved it. This last weekend’s family trip was practically perfect. We caught lots of fish (and I gutted & cleaned some of them myself!), roasted hotdogs and S’mores, slept cozy in sleeping bags, and had a tasty breakfast in the clean mountain air. I really just love camping, and its been too many summers since I’ve been able to go.

In reviewing the 27 in my 27th List, I must admit I'm growing slightly concerned. You see, yesterday was my Half Birthday--we are six months into this "List" experiment and less than six months now remain to accomplish what is left. To be fair, I think I'm doing a mighty fine job thus far. But I can't help but worry about a few of the remaining goals--most notably #12 Enjoy a mutually desirable kiss. I express concern here because, quite frankly, I'm not sure where that's going to be coming from anytime soon. Most of my waking hours are spent in the society of pre-pubescent humanoids...so its doubtful I'll meet somebody in my daily social circles.

But here's where you, the reader, can come in! This is not a booty call or a want ad for a hook-up. Rather, I'm in the market for a fine young man who'd be interested in going out. The hope would be that one date could turn into two or three, and eventually #12 would get the old Heave Ho--follow? I'm going to assume most of you know how to contact me in the traditional ways, so if you've got a real prospect to help me out...let me know.

10 down, 17 to go! (And a number of things in process...)

Tools were Involved

2010-08-17T19:20:00.000-07:00

And no, I don't mean tools like the contestants on "The Bachelorette." I mean like...screwdrivers and tape measures and stuff. What I'm trying to get at here is simply this: Today was devoted to Home Improvement around my little pad. I even went to a hardware store--by myself. And it was AWESOME.

Let's back up--being a homeowner has given me opportunity to tackle all sorts of tasks I've never done before. And every time I do something on my own--like turn on the gas and light the water heater--I feel a great sense of empowerment. Today was chock full of those moments! In fact...I toted my camera around the house with me to show off my handy work.

First--and this wasn't really "handy" home improvement but I'm so happy I have to share--I finally found my perfect Salt & Pepper shakers. I'm so excited about this its embarrassing. But when you've been searching for affordable--yet perfect--salt & pepper shakers for four months...you've got to celebrate the find. Thank you Ross!!Okay, on to the "handy" stuff. I vacuumed out my furnace and A/C unit and changed the air filter. This required the use of a tape measure to figure out what size of filter I needed, and then a trip to Lowe's to track down the 14 x 20 x 1 filter. It fits SO much better than the cheap-o crap one that was in there before. This particular brand of filter even came with a Reminder Sticker, so I'll remember to perform this routine maintenance every 3 months. Good call. Here's my happy--and clean--unit now. At my Housewarming party, Erin gave me a fabulous home decor gift that's been sitting on my counter ever since. My trip to Lowe's also provided the necessary hardware to hang the sign above my sink. A tape measure was involved--to make sure the sign was perfectly centered over my ugly window coverings (that's a job for another day)--as well as HAMMERING. Really. With all that in mind--Isn't it awesome!!?My bathroom door has been opening too far and slowly creating a dent in the wall opposite. This is...not good. The helpful man at Lowe's pointed me in the direction of the Hinge Pin Door Stops. Just what I needed! There was hammering, unexpected grease, and one or two missteps, but I got the piece installed on my door--making the walls safe from doorknob dents for one more day!!! There are 5 smoke detectors in my little pad. I purchased the 9V batteries today at Sam's Club and systematically climbed on and off a stool to change every single one. This wasn't actually that hard. The hard part was making myself push the button to test each one. Man those suckers are PIERCING!! But I guess that's the point, right?The final task was a little more involved, so I enlisted the help of my best Tool Girl, Catie, to help me out. The key rack was the very first piece of "decor" I purchased for my house...and its been sitting unused in the office/nursery for a while now. I bought the screws at Lowe's, but we needed Catie's know-how and her dad's Stud Finder (So many jokes...so little time...) to make it happen. But happen it did! And here's the final product with a big Thank You shout out to Catie!

All in all, these are small tasks and small additions. But I love my little house, and I love taking care of it and all its little details.

Spreadin' the News

2010-08-07T20:47:00.000-07:00

Just got back. Happy to report that New York City is still there. Not only is it still there, its hotter and humider (no, that's not a word. Until NOW!) than ever. I was melting 10 of the 14 days I was in the city, and it was pretty gross. We moved forward, though, and good times were still had. Recognizing that you, the reader, probably don't want a play-by-play of a fourteen-day trip, let's just hit the highlights, shall we?

1. Friends: I adore Mariah and her fiancee, Ryan. So much fun to chat and hang out with them. I also got to spend an afternoon with Jake G. He showed me around the Wall Street/Trinity Church area--and we had yummy Afghan food for lunch! And then Gregory B. came into town for the last week and I had another chum to join in NYC playtime. Good stuff!

2. Broadway: We saw Tony Award Winner, Douglas Hodge in the matinee of La Cage Aux Folles. Brilliant! He was wonderful and the show was a riot. I loved so much about it!! "If he loved me, he'd vacuum!" So great. That night we had box seats to a major Tony winner--Billy Elliot. I can't say enough how much I loved this show! Great music, amazing acting and dancing, wonderful story--maybe the perfect show. Love love love.

3. Breakfast: I had at least two A-Mazing breakfasts in the city. Community Food & Juice provided one of the best things I have ever eaten in a 7-Grain Waffle served with Lemon/Raspberry Cream sauce. I wanted to weep with joy when I was eating it, and that's not exaggerating by much. The next week we ventured to Greenwich for Creme Brulee French Toast at a place called Jane. Yum, Yum, and some more YUM.

4. Coney Island: I love this place. Shelling out $8 for the crazy wild roller coaster, Cyclone, was just the beginning of the happiness. A hotdog from Nathan's and a jaunt on the boardwalk were also wonderful. But nothing tops the pure delicious glee I found in watching the Side Show. A Contortionist, the Seal Boy, a well-endowed Sword swallower/Flame-eater, and of course--our host--a Carnie who literally hammered a nail into his own head. WOWZA!! Love love love.

5. Bakeries: Any followers of my Facebook status updates should be aware that I made a major effort to visit a plethora of bakeries in Manhattan. First prize goes to Levain on 74th and Amsterdam for the most luscious cookie EVER. Second prize goes to Amy's Bread for the best carrot cake I have ever eaten in my life. Also a good sticky bun. And butter cookie. Third prize to Jacques Torres for another brilliant chocolate-chip cookie. Honorable Mentions go to Crumbs (because you gotta love a huge Crumbs cupcake!!), Fat Witch Bakery, Magnolia (good brownie!!), and Bombolini. The final entry providing not only tasty Italian donuts, but tasty Italian eye candy as well. I should note--no pictures from the bakeries. I always intended to, but the goodies seemed to disappear into my belly too fast for me to remember the need for a photo shoot. Oh well!

6. Sights o' the City: I've done a lot of the "touristy" things before, but still managed to take in some awesome spots in the Big Apple. I especially loved the American Museum of Natural History (though their charge for special exhibits is ridiculous) and the big model blue whale. There were some great exhibits at the Met. And I really loved walking along Highline Park with a yummy coconut-almond ice cream shake from the Chelsea Markets.

So...there was a lot more that happened in my 14-day adventure to New York City, and a lot more amazing foods I got to eat. Heck, I didn't really say anything here about the Gilder Lehrman seminar at Columbia University that got me out to the city in the first place!! If you want to hear more about adventures, Reconstruction seminars, and/or great NYC food, feel free to ask*. I Love New York!!

*Obviously, I like to talk--especially about food.

From the "Me Likey" File

2010-07-21T16:43:00.000-07:00

Just before I head out on a 2-week NYC Adventure that I'm sure makes many of you green with envy, let me share a random sampling of things I've been enjoying lately. Feel free to take these as "2 Thumbs WAAAY Up!"-type recommendations, because that's what they're meant to be.

I am happily on the Inception bandwagon, ladies and gentlemen. I saw it opening day--loved every minute of it--and I have every intention of seeing it again in theaters very soon. If you haven't seen it yet, RUN to your nearest theater and get yourself a ticket! Intelligent, ingenious, entertaining, and just an overall fabulous cinematic experience. GO. Now. In fact, its okay if you want to stop reading this post in order to leave immediately for the movie theater. I doubt anything I write below will be as entertaining as Inception, after all.

I'm in favor of riding horses named Nellie. It gives you a very legitimate reason to say "Whoa, Nellie!" for one thing. But if you can't get yourself a horse named Nellie, I'm willing to settle on a recommendation for horseback riding, period. I went recently with mi amiga, Caryn, and her grandpa. We took a trail up by the Alpine Loop and I have to admit--Utah can be lovely! Especially from the back of a horse. This is my favorite picture from the adventure because it perfectly captures how the majority of the picture-taking went: I try to pose while my horse has a different idea entirely.

I'm sort of in love with my new nephew, Charlie. Well, its Charles, but there are all sorts of nicknames already floating around. I used "Chuck" the other day and I can see that sticking. Who knows? What I DO know is that he is Adorable, and I could spend every day cuddling him and not get tired of it. "How is this a recommendation?", you might ask. Well, since 2008 I've been a big proponent of nephews, so I say if you can get one, do it. And if you can't, just look at that pic and be jealous of mine.

If you haven't seen HCT's The Wedding Singer yet, you're running out of time! It closes July 31st. And if you miss it--you should be sorry, because its brilliant. I'd highly recommend the MWF cast, because that's the cast I saw and they were fabulous. And my friend, Derek, is in the lead role MWF and he's just awesome like that. I saw the show as part of the Hale Centre 25th Anniversary BASH (Thanks Charisse!!), and it was a truly fabulous evening. I got to dress up, look sassy, and drink "Sally" Temples...a wonderful night, indeed.

And finally, on these bloody hot summer days (100 degrees, again, Mother Nature? Come on. Take a chill pill.) I'm in love with my blender and the Orange Julius it allows me to make. I adore orange julius, and its the #1 reason I invested in a blender this summer. This frosty treat is so easy to make too, with my mom's recipe. I hope its not a family secret, because here you go:

Mom's Orange Julius Goodness

3/4 c. milk
1 1/4 c. water
6 oz. frozen OJ concentrate
1/2 c. sugar
10-12 ice cubes

Put into blender. BLEND. And enjoy. In fact, enjoy as many as you can as often as you can because its just that good. Plus, I think you deserve it.

To Whom it May Concern

2010-07-06T13:07:00.000-07:00

Dear "Just One Date" Date:

Thanks so much for a great evening. It was nice to meet you. I'll most likely never see you again because, let's face it, we're not going out again. Are you surprised? I don't know if you really are. But if so, let me fill you in on some basic reasons why we most likely will not be headed out the door for another date anytime soon--or ever. Please note that I don't say this in an attitude of bitterness, but rather this is a message that could help you in future dating endeavors. With that disclaimer, just a few thoughts:

You might have missed this, but I'm your date--not your kid sister. Just because I'm a few years younger than you, doesn't give you leave to call me "kid." I've already got brothers and I'm not really in the market for another one at this point.

I was under the impression you wanted to go out with me--hence you asking me to spend Friday night with you. As such, I guess I just assumed you'd have some idea of what we'd be doing. For future reference, ladies appreciate planning.

If I'm going to give up a precious weekend night to spend with you--possibly a complete stranger--I'd have appreciated it if you'd spent it with me and not your phone. Hot Tip! I turned mine off before you picked me up.

Spending the evening regaling me with tales of your bad boy days--without a clear indication that they're over--isn't really impressive. Next time (not with me, of course) I'd suggest steering the conversation in a direction that casts a positive spin on you and your life. Talk about your classes, family, or your achievements before whipping out your police record.

Don't forget that this is a first date. It's okay if we keep it short. They say the best entertainment leaves you wanting more. If I get enough the first time around--SIX HOURS of it, for example--no girl's gonna need another dose anytime soon.

No, I'm really not okay with driving.

I'm sorry I've been sitting in your truck for the last 30 minutes, requiring you to come up with yet another zany story about your insane family. This entire awkward scene could have been avoided if you'd turned the car off and walked me to the door. And yes, you should have walked me to the door.

Anyway, good luck! I'm sure that with a little more effort, and maybe just a little thought, the next time around will be awesome. You can do it! If at first you don't succeed (and really, no, you didn't succeed here), Try Try Again!

Sincerely-
Me

P.S. And can I just give a big shout out to the few fabulous first dates I have been on in the past? Some of you guys REALLY have it down; some of you guys I went out with twice or more! (Some of you guys I wanted to go out with again, but...yeah...) Anyway, perhaps you could offer some hints, or even one-on-one tutoring, to some of your peers. Because some of them REALLY need it. Peace out. Happy dating.

**In case it wasn't clear, the thoughts herein have been compiled over several years of swimming in the dating pool. If this had all occurred in one night, with one guy, I'd have felt responsible to disclose his name as a public service to other women who might wander into his path.

Summer Happenings, including #5

2010-07-01T17:54:00.000-07:00

Anybody else wondering where the heck June went? How did the first month of summer go by so fast?! This means I've got only 1 1/2 months left to make the summer break Awesome to the Max. Before we get to that, however, some catch up on the events of the past few weeks of Summer Magic.

Last week I hit up the water park with my sisters and two of the little one's--Lyric and Spencer (pictured here in all his summertime glee and glory). It was a madcap day of water, tubes, lazy rivering, slides, fried chicken, and lots and lots of sun. And it was a total blast! I definitely got sunburned, despite reapplying my SPF 50 sunblock on numerous occasions, but its all good now. Look at that picture again! Can you doubt how much fun we had?! AWESOME!

Father's Day weekend took the family to our timeshare condo at East Canyon Resort. We played at the pool, read books, watched a bunch of mostly mediocre movies (Boo on you Leap Year and Dear John), and had a ton of fun fishing at the reservoir. I re-learned how to gut a fish (that just sounds gross...), and practiced tying on my own hook and swivel. Woohoo!

In case you've been living under a rock for the past few days and hadn't heard, the newest Twilight film, Eclipse, opened in theaters on Wednesday. My amazing friend, Charisse, got free tickets and we hit up the 12:10 showing Wednesday morning at Jordan Commons. We tried to blend in with all the "Twi-hards" by dressing appropriately (I sported my homemade "Team Taylor Lautner" shirt (because I am)) and cheering at perfectly sculpted abs whenever they appeared. It was a serious good time, and I really did enjoy the movie.

These are happy smiles brought to you by the Salt Lake Real and Rio Tinto Stadium. I went to the game on Friday with my sister and parents--part of our Father's Day gift to Dad. The game was fun, even if it ended at 0 - 0. At least we didn't lose! I love soccer!! After the game we headed to Leatherby's and feasted on Toasted Almond Ice Cream, hot fudge and cheese fries. YUM!

Surely one of the highlights of my summer occurred last night--110 in the Shade at Hale Center Theater Orem, starring Audra McDonald. I got a ticket thanks to that amazing friend I mentioned before--Charisse. Isn't she the best!!? I don't think I'm a gifted enough writer to capture in words how extraordinary the performance proved to be. I was goosebumpy and enthralled and feel all sorts of lucky to have seen it. Really the entire cast was awesome, but Audra was phenomenal. I chalk this one up to "Best Theater Experience EVER in the State of Utah." Standing O, all the way.

And that finally brings us to a MAJOR accomplishment of the summer! I can check #5 Finish the quilt I started last year off the 27 in 27 list, because I finished it! Pictured above is the quilt I started sewing last summer--now, all done. It has been quilted and bound and it is lovely. Its currently the highlighted piece in my barely-decorated living room. Now I'm just waiting for an invite to an outdoor venue so I have reason to show it off!

Keep up the good work, folks, and happy summering!

The Problem of Summer

2010-06-21T07:59:00.000-07:00

I love summer. Summer is popsicles, sleeping in and staying up late, reading fluff books, going to the movies, and basically doing whatever you want. Just reading that list makes me happy!! As it is, however, my summer hasn't entirely felt like that. Oh sure I've had my quick vacations to California, and yes I can sleep in when I want to. But this summer there's a boat load of work I still find myself having to do.

First I've got this Gilder Lehrman conference coming up in July. By the time I get on that plane to go to New York City, I must have completed three nonfiction history books. One of which is over 600 pages in length. Interesting, but definitely not the fluffy, beach reads I would hope to crack open in the summer.

Second, I'm working on a project for the Teaching With Primary Sources grant. I have to put together Primary Resource Sets for individual Indicators in the State Core. In fact, I am signed up to complete 18 of these sets. Yes, I get paid, but wow...I'm at "1 down, 17 to go" at this point. *sigh*

Third, I would really like to get up and going on my Curriculum plans for my night school classes next year. Life in the 2010-2011 school year will be MUCHO simpler if that gets done before September.

But going back to The Problem of Summer. The real problem is that IDEA of summer. I want to play! But my blasted logical mind is struggling to let me really enjoy the play time I take when there are all these other RESPONSIBLE things I should be doing. Blast.

I think the universe is trying to make me work too. When I asked my two-year old nephew last Sunday if we could "hang out sometime this week"--as long as it was okay with his mom, of course--she responded that he was pretty busy with playdates and other such things. Yeah, that's right. My two-year old nephew has a busier social calendar than me. Thank goodness I have those Resource Sets to keep me company, right?

California = #1

2010-06-16T05:52:00.000-07:00

To celebrate another year as SURVIVORS of the public education system, Greg and I planned a road trip to California for the first week of June. My fab friend, Caryn, came along as well and I couldn't have been happier about that! The road trip proved not only to be full of grand and happy memories, but a wonderful way to cross #1 Take a Roadtrip off my 27 in 27 list.

We left on Sunday afternoon and I pulled my car back into my complex about 1:00 am on Wednesday morning. So the trip was, first and foremost, FAST. But I did mention fabulous, right? I had so much fun!

The drive to California was relatively uneventful. Caryn had provided us each a new/weird treat--chili pepper covered pineapple which we consumed somewhere in Nevada, I think. Eating that (and a whole lot of other stuff) and singing our way through 3 volumes of Glee music took up most of the time. Arriving in California we did have a few speedbumps (metaphorical for the most part). We got a wee bit lost trying to find our hostess to procure the house key (Greg is GREAT at U-turns, though), Blueberry got a wee bit "smudged" when one driver--who will remain nameless--hit a pole, but all in all--we made it!!

Monday was spent basking in the beauty and magic of Disneyland Resort. We rode most everything we wanted to, and a few favorites more than once. We ate lots of luscious Disney treats--churros, ice cream, brownies, muffins, Mint Juleps (Disney First!). Really, you can't rightly capture in a Blog the joy of seeing your best friend get drenched on Grizzly River Run, or the thrill of riding an insanely fast bobsled down the Matterhorn at night...wedged between somebody's legs. Just know--it was awesome. Approximately 15 Hours of Awesome, in fact. We ended the day how we started it--at the bakery. Greg loaded up on a brownie and Diet Coke to guarantee he'd stay awake for the drive back to our borrowed "pad." Not a usual meal for midnight, but there you go.

Tuesday we finally awoke...somewhere between 8 and 9, I believe. After some quick "readying" we headed for the Santa Monica Pier. Beach Time!! Unfortunately, the overcast skies didn't seem to want to burn off too quickly. So we checked out stuff on the pier--including a Trapeze School?--and then wandered the beach for a couple hours. We saw somebody who was either "famous" enough to be readying for a photo shoot or a stranger who was just so full of herself she brought personal stylists along to the beach. Caryn and I discussed the HOT factor of clean cut surfers. And we built "sandcastles" with our feet. They met their demise by incoming waves, though Greg's hung on long enough to appear like a lonely Sand Mushroom as we walked away.

And we did walk away. We walked back to the car, changed back into travel wear, and headed home. Well, I should say that after one more quick California stop--to try my first ever In'n'Out Burger--we headed home.

Overall, it was a great California road trip with some truly hilarious and wonderful people. Fast. Fabulous. And a mere $75 extra at the car dealership to buff out the paint markings (ala The Pole) on the side of Blueberry.

Happy Summer!!!

And Here is My Report...

2010-06-03T13:26:00.000-07:00

School is OUT for the summer!! 180 days down, 0 to go. Wahooo!!!! The celebrations will go on for at least a month and a half, and then I'll have to start focusing on going back to school. But let's not put such a damper on things at this point.

No, the point of this is to remind you all of a little goal I set for myself back in August--No Treats for the School Year. There were some pre-designated treat days and even treat weekends, and I'm not going to lie and pretend I didn't justify a few other occasions that came up (i.e. the night I was literally surrounded by brownies, eclairs and sorbet at a wedding reception and decided that spending a Saturday night serving a friend was treat-worthy). But for the most part...I did it. Really. I turned down cookies, donuts, candy bars, birthday cake, cupcakes, ice cream and more for over 9 months. Whoa.

I bring this up not to gloat, per say. I imagine most people aren't impressed, anyway, but more likely find it bewildering. Because...who does that?! I sit here as the one who accomplished it and just think, "Holy cow! I did that?! Why? Whoa!!" Seriously.

I know the why--I'm insane, plus I had a great desire to slim down the waistline. And there were positive outcomes in that as well as other areas. For example, this experience taught me that I have amazing willpower in big, strict things. Its the small, normal things that I need to work on. Namely, having moderation in all things--including treats.

I'm going to have to adjust to life with treats again. I'm fairly confident the alien feeling of cookie consumption will aid in the new goal of Treat Moderation--the next step to becoming a somewhat normal, well-adjusted human being. I'm also fairly confident the alien feeling will disappear all too rapidly. I'm just hoping it doesn't disappear along with the box of Girl Scout Thin Mints in my cupboard.

Grades Matter

2010-05-24T11:42:00.000-07:00

I am serious when I call Cold Cereal my favorite food. And I'm more than just a fan; I'm an educated lover of the stuff. Don't believe me?

Take THAT you doubters out there!
A B+ in Breakfast Cereals. Skidoosh!

The Battle of Bunker Hill? Really?

2010-05-20T20:23:00.000-07:00

Its Civil War Test time again!! And this year I got a lot of correct answers. Really! For the most part--the most part--the students were factually correct. YAY! This year's weird answers mainly came in the form of the illogical, not-to-be-understood ramblings of the 8th grade mind.

Remember that old SNL Celebrity Jeopardy episode that goes something like: "Mr. Connery, you answered? Half of your hand. And your bid is...the other half of your hand. We've reached a new low."? Well, take a look at my favorite test this year.

Side one of the test: A tracing of his hand.

Side two: A RAINBOW tracing of his hand!

We have reached a new low.

Here's a sampling of a few other favorites:

“[Lincoln] got assassinated by John Wilkes Booth. This left John Adams as our president.”
(Shazaam! TIME TRAVEL!)

“President Abraham Lincoln’s inauguration was sort of like a treat to the South”
(A treat that makes you decide its time to secede...)

“Announcements by Lincoln made Confederates mad or even happy about war.”
(Just like giving her a zero made me mad...or even happy?)

“The South wasn’t very social cause they couldn’t talk to some cause they lived so far apart.”
(And they didn't have text messaging either!!)

Concerning Reconstruction: “Even though there was a lot of sadness, there was also happiness”
(Glad we cleared that up!)

“Another [disadvantage of the north] is they were the one’s who didn’t always know where the other side was.”
(That does make fighting each other rather difficult)

“The generals and the leaders were all good fighters but they really didn’t want to fight but that was because they were shy or something but they were very good fighters that’s what president Abraham Lincoln said.”
(Huh?)

“Lincoln…got assassinated in the early 1900’s”
(Time Travel AGAIN!)

"The battle that started the war was Battle of Bunker Hill."
(Um...no. That battle didn't start ANY war, actually.)

“Slaves were freed and later became Generals who became more.”
(What?)

“There were also teaching restrictions for them [Black Americans]; if there was one black in a room full of whites, that teacher would be shot.”
(Well, it could be...um...yeah. No idea. Yet again.)

“At the end of the war, General Lee and President Johnson sat down at the Church hall and had a meeting.”
(I'm going to chalk this one up to Civil War fan fiction)

“The final straw was Lincoln’s election because of his veins.”
(I have no response for this. None.)

“The Union were a bunch of pretty boys that didn’t use guns a lot.”
(HA HA HA!!! Sorry. But that's just funny.)

“One major huge event that changed the war was Abraham Lincoln!.…He was the Mickle Jordan of the war, and it made the south scared.”
(He’s an event now? I want to be an event. I want to be a Mickle Jordan of an event!)

Catching Up with Myself

2010-05-13T08:56:00.000-07:00

As an admitted Accomplishment Junkie, the past month has been AWESOME. Talk about a natural high! I have been able to check #8, #10, and #25 off the List o' 27. And I think it necessary at this point to report in on the awesomeness all that involved.

I checked off #25, Go Green, about a month ago. I purchased 5 reusable shopping bags from a local grocery store and started taking them each time I shop. The main problem with these bags--as Word on the Street would suggest--is that people just forget to take them into the store. In an attempt to combat this, I put the bags in my car; when I empty the bags at home I have to immediately put them back in the car before I can be Done. Workin' like a charm and I feel like a Go Green Pro. Captain Planet would be proud.

Happy Dance! National Boards are DONE!

On Friday, I took the National Board exam. The portfolio was finished up and mailed off about a month ago and only the test was left. So after 3 long hours, answering 6 exercises with 2-4 prompts each...I am finally DONE. Yes! Yes!!! YES!!!!!!!!! I won't find out the results until November, but right now...its done. I'm crossing off #10 with great flourish and topping it off with a bowl of frozen yogurt. Because, really, finishing National Boards is treat-worthy.

This is what finishers look like! Me and Catie after the 10K/5K in Ptown in April.

Goal #8 was to run a race--a 10K, a half marathon, or even a Ragner Relay. I have not given up hope of tackling a Ragner sometime, but nothing's on the board right now. However, in April I ran the 10K for the Boys & Girls Club down in Provo, and a few weeks after that I returned to Utah County to tackle the Provo City Half Marathon. The latter proved to be the wettest, coldest, most miserable 13.1 miles I ever hope to run. It wasn't fun--but I did it! No pictures of that "blessed" event because of the weather...and because my fingers were so numb after that I couldn't even get my hand into my pocket for the car key--forget working the zipper on my camera case!

All in all, life has been crazy and fun. There are fifteen days of school left and I am eagerly awaiting the onset of warm weather (Come on Utah--get it together!!) and time to CHILLAX. Woohoo!!

Happy #200!

2010-05-06T07:29:00.001-07:00

Dear Blog,

Happy 200th Birthday! I know you probably don't feel that old, but you are! This marks the 200th post on your fair wall. Crazy, but true. In human years, you're not even three, but the age of humans differs greatly from the age of Blogs.

Much has occurred since your birth in September 2007, and you are a lucky Blog indeed because so many of those changes and events have been detailed right here with you. At your birth, I was living in Bleak House with one roommate and a wall full of mice (didn't know that at the time...); today I'm living life solo in my very own condo, and heartily optimistic there aren't any rodents sharing the living space.

Would you mind if we wandered Memory Lane just a little bit longer? I promise just a small sampling. But in your 200 posts there are some favorites I feel to point out.

My thoughts on Facebook were noted more than once. First in Welcome to the Book, and again in What if I don't want to be your friend?
I dated three different men. One ended with a "meh," another with a "Jerk" and the last with a giant sob. My Mind is a Scary Place and Message I Need Today are definite faves in the relationship category.
I traveled all over and used your writing space as a travel journal to detail a Forks roadtrip, O Canada!, two trips to New York, the food bonanza of San Francisco, Disneyland Disneyland Disneyland, and I'm sure many others.
I started writing with you as a lowly 3rd year teaching. Now I'm finishing up year #5 as a National Board candidate, District trainer for Primary Sources, and Board Member of the U.C.S.S. (pretty much all thanks to Pam, btw)
I ran and ran and ran.
Remember my rant against LDS Fiction?!
And the time I defended text messaging?

There have been some good times, I must say. You have been a near and dear friend, and have given me opportunity to ponder and meditate more than I usually would on different events in life. Even the fact that you're turning 200 with this post has given me pause to reflect on the past three years of my life. And I am so grateful for all the amazing experiences I've had--those written here and those kept a bit closer to the heart.

I can't deny that on your very first birthday (when I dubbed myself Felicity with the romantic idea of being anonymous and keeping you all to myself) I couldn't have begun to imagine myself where I am in 2010. But here I am, and I hope I'm the better for it.

Life is really grand, you know. And I am grateful and happy that I have you, my dear little Blog, to help me remember that fact as together we keep track of life's ups and downs.

Here's to another terrific 200 together!
*me*

P.S. Do you think this would justify eating cake?

Holy Heck! It's #6!!

2010-04-15T12:18:00.000-07:00

I'm guessing most readers who perused the "27 in my 27th" list assumed the purchase of a house would occur closer to my 28th birthday. Guess I fooled you there! I was in the midst of house hunting when I put the silly list together. And guess what? I DID IT!

As of April 12th, I am officially a homeowner. Or...Condo Owner. Whatever. It's mine. YAY!

My condo is adorable, by the way. You should drop by, and when you come feel free to bring snacks. Or a couch. I don't have a couch yet. Or a table. Or barstools. Or a broom, for that matter. I am heading into this new venture with the bare necessities of life--namely some cereal bowls and a television.

Anyway, a Housewarming Party/Open House/Thing is in the works. Just give me a chance to move myself in, and perhaps purchase some flatware. Until that happens, the cereal bowl/tv thing could get a bit slovenly.

Pepper Spray?

2010-04-08T08:04:00.000-07:00

Recently, I started working as the US History teacher at a local night school for GED candidates. The demographic is entirely different from my usual "kids" at the middle school down the road. This fact was really brought home to me on the first night when I surveyed the students to see what sort of form they'd like to see class take during fourth quarter. One of my new students responded,

"Honestly I just don't care for any class really. I have other interests for my life, this is just to save me from going to jail. Don't tell my Judge I said that."

This is going to be fun.

Spring Break highlights

2010-04-04T17:38:00.000-07:00

Made Funfetti Cookies with my nephew and shared them with friends and family.

Spent a lovely afternoon with the Barnett's--eating tasty food at Paradise Bakery & Cafe, shopping at DSW Shoes, and seeing the truly delightful How to Train Your Dragon. I was pleasantly surprised by how much I loved it. Have you seen it yet? Go!

Ran a ten-mile route around South Jordan. It took just over an hour and a half, but I'm not going to lie and say it was easy. Ai-yi-yi...

Enjoyed a lovely hour at the Oquirrh Mountain Temple.

Watched four wonderful sessions of General Conference with the family. I don't know that I could pick a favorite talk, but I found a lot of good counsel. There is much to be worked on! Onward and upward, right?

Made strawberry jam with my mom and sisters during the Priesthood session Saturday night. I now have 5 pints in my freezer. I hope it lasts until next strawberry season!

Introduced the family to Overnight French Toast. Its such a tasty recipe!

Did a little spring wardrobe shopping. White skirt. Good idea? Bad idea?

Received notification of my acceptance to the Gilder Lehrman Summer Seminar on Reconstruction at Columbia University. I'm so excited!!

SmartCookie. DE-LICIOUS!

Spontaneous viewing of Diary of a Wimpy Kid with j. We agreed that as adults, you can't go to that kind of a movie alone without looking like a creeper.

Watched Anne of Avonlea. Four hours long, and an ending that always makes it worth it.

Finished up my service project for Disney's "Give a Day, Get a Day" program. Woohoo!

Started and completed a sewing project.

Re-read the good parts of Breaking Dawn--note that it didn't take too long.

Watched 3 hours of "The Best of 'I Love the...'" on VH1. Those shows kill me!

Visited with friends over a yummy BBQ meal on Monday night.

Got one step closer to "Going Green." More details to follow...

Slept in one final time before starting back to work this morning.

9 more weeks until Summer Break!

Happenings

2010-03-20T11:08:00.000-07:00

Last Friday night I went to the U of U women's gymnastics meet with the fam. We've had front row season tickets for my entire life and I have many a childhood memory of heading WAAAY down the steep stairs of the Huntsman Center to our seats. The seats are still way down there--the stairs just aren't as steep or long anymore. Weird. Anyway, the U pulled off a win against three other teams and one chick did her floor routine to the song from August Rush and it made me happy. As did hanging with my cute parents and lil' sis.

Spring has sprung in Utah--with beautiful warm days interspersed with freezing snow days. Gotta love our weird weather. I scraped frost and ice off my car one morning this week whilst wearing my cute brown flip flops. That's how you know Spring has come to our fair state.

I've started into my training regimen for an upcoming Half Marathon. Last week's long run was 6-miles which was doable on a treadmill. This morning I ran from Riverton to West Jordan to check off the week's 8-miler. Sense of accomplishment? HIGH. Pretty awesome.

Last night I had a Girl's Night with Charisse and Julie. We ate yummy snacks, chatted the night away, and watched Bandslam. Let me take a second to promote this little film? Genius. That's what it is. Hilarious--one of THE BEST awkward kiss scenes ever--and touching, and really just GOOD. Why don't movies like this get more notice when they're in theaters? Watch it. You'll love it. If you don't? Well, I'll try not to hold a grudge.

And in other news, my student's have been "publishing" picture book biographies of famous Americans. Yesterday, an 8th period student read the class her biography of Taylor Lautner. Page 6 featured a shirtless illustration of the man--replete with a carefully drawn in 6-pack. Made. My. Day. Also making my day was the two students who laughed their heads off after they caught me taking the picture...

#9 Do Something Entirely New To Me

2010-03-04T18:36:00.000-08:00

Snowshoeing.

I have been dying to try out this winter sport for a while now and when the Activities Committee organized a Ward Outing to the Snowbird Nordic Center on Saturday...I knew it was meant to be. The crowd was small, but fun. We strapped on the snowshoes--more complex than the old chairs and string Jake Gyllenhaal uses in The Day After Tomorrow--and headed off to make a loop around Silver Lake. We made it about 200 feet before most of us needed Caryn's help to really strap on the snowshoes. BUT! With that minor hindrance behind us, we pressed on.

The weather was beautiful, the company was entertaining, and the snowshoeing was new and totally fun!

Here I am, obviously thrilled to be sporting my nifty snowshoes:And I've decided that as a bonus to this 27 in my 27th goal, I'm going to try and tackle #9 as many times as I can. So much "NEW" is bound to make life a little more interesting this year.

#11 Get a Massage

2010-02-26T18:48:00.001-08:00

This goal is really an entire year late. Last year for my birthday, Erin and Lori gave me a gift card to Massage Envy--I had never had a massage and my back was entirely jacked up around the Happy 26th, making it the perfect gift. But...I put it off. And then my back worked itself out and I wanted to wait until I really needed it. And then I was too busy. And long story short, it was high time to get 'er done.

And what better time than the Friday after Parent Teacher Conferences--only days after I sat in a chair for approximately 14 hours and then came back the next day to do it again? I know--there was no better time.

More importantly than what got me there, the massage itself was A-mazing. My appointment with Nick the Massage Therapist was so relaxing, and so delightful, and absolutely something that needs to be repeated. This was definitely a grand way to kick off the "27 in my 27th."

That's 1 down, 26 to go.

27 in my 27th

2010-02-19T20:15:00.000-08:00

My birthday is upcoming. Really really soon upcoming. And while I'm rather disturbed that I can no longer claim "mid-twenties" with any degree of honesty, I'm also excited at the prospects of a new year. My "odd" years of life have proven to be the most adventurous thus far, so I think 27 is bound to be brilliant.

To help the year achieve a level of awesomeness rarely seen in the world today, I borrowed an idea from Emma and set 27 goals for my 27th year.

1. Take a road trip

2. Reach my weight goal

3. Go camping

4. Make a new friend

5. Finish the quilt I started last year

6. Buy a house

7. Lose a bad habit

8. Run a race--10K, half marathon or Ragner Relay

9. Do something entirely new to me

10. Finish the National Boards process

11. Get a massage

12. Enjoy a mutually desirable kiss

13. Visit all the temples in Utah I have not yet been to

14. Do something that scares me

15. Read Jesus the Christ

16. Give someone a nickname that sticks

17. Go to a U of U football game

18. Do something spontaneous

19. Take a class unrelated to teaching

20. Visit a historical site

21. Fall in love with a new band

22. Engage in a significant service to another

23. Watch a sunrise or sunset with somebody I love

24. Send thank-you cards

25. Go "Green"

26. Practice civic responsibility in a tangible way

27. Do something that makes me feel like a kid again

I feel like the proper way to end this post would be some profound and life-changing statement of hope and determination. But that's not really me. Instead, I'll stick with the silly--yet appropriate--thing I'm really thinking:

Get excited--It's gonna be Big.

Sweet Justice

2010-02-12T12:19:00.000-08:00

I had a substitute teacher take my classes yesterday while I judged the State "We the People" contest at the University of Utah. Upon returning this morning, I was dismayed to learn one of my class periods was "awful" and constantly disruptive despite numerous warnings from the sub.

Punishment was swift and severe.

Instead of the study hall day we had planned, the naughty class took a test. The subject of the video they were to have watched yesterday was "Benjamin Franklin: Citizen of the World." The disruptive students were assigned a 2-page essay test in which to detail all they know about Mr. Franklin's life.

Students who were on task and quietly watched yesterday's video as instructed had this test:

Color Benjamin Franklin

All in all, I think justice has been served, don't you? [Insert evil laugh]

Meet My Faves: Keith

2010-02-09T08:15:00.000-08:00

Its time for Episode 3 in the "Meet My Faves" series! This time we focus on Keith--a pure delight hailing from Northern California. Oh how I love him...

Keith and I first met during our internships at Walt Disney World (are you sensing a pattern here amongst my faves?) He was a "green tomato preemie" with loads of energy and a wardrobe consisting entirely of jeans and black Tshirts. I liked him enough to give him bubbles when he flew home to Cali, and write him on his mission now and again. We really connected as friends after his return and have been tight ever since!

I love that Keith is easy going and loves fun, and I adore his willingness to let me and Greg take him clothes shopping and tell him when he looks HOT. Because he often does. And I really love that Keith is so multi-talented that I'm regularly introduced to ANOTHER skill or crazy behavior he's picked up. My friends are A-mazing. What can I say?

Best Thing: Everything about Keith, and with Keith, is just FUN!
Worst Thing: I bug him sometimes by treating him like a LITTLE brother. Oops...

Where are you from?
Palo Alto, CA

What do you do for a living?

Senior Engineering student--part of BYU's Formula Race car Team
(Editor's note: If you're unsure what that is, the picture below is meant to help...basically they're designing a formula race car. This is Keith's latest design. See? Not hard to understand!)

What is your favorite comfort food?

Good restaurant food.

What color is your bedspread?
Green

What book/movie has had a major impact on you?
Movie: Finding Neverland
Book: Fast Food America

What is your favorite word?

Mastication

What is your best color?
Green or Blue

What is your favorite restaurant?
Right now, Olive Garden. But Cheesecake Factory is amazing.

What is one material possession you couldn't live without?
Cell phone

Which cartoon character do you resemble the most?

Michelangelo--the Ninja Turtle

Why do you think I like you so much?
Because we're both awesome!

What is the best compliment you could receive?
I make you laugh, or I'm very attractive.

What is your favorite memory we have shared?
Oh, there are several. One is 'Creepy Keith' in England. Good times.

To further clarify, The "Creepy Keith" picture...

What 3 words would best describe you?
Enthusiastic, Optimistic, Sensitive
(Editor's note: Those are well chosen. Indeed.)

Three Strikes

2010-02-06T22:04:00.000-08:00

Goal: Utilize the wheat grinder gifted to me at Christmas to grind whole-wheat flour. Use said flour to create tasty treat to send to lil' bro in the mission field.

Target: Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Cookies

Batch #1: FAIL. The cookies were almost completely flat, and spread all over the pan.
Batch #2: FAIL. Cookie dough failed to spread out at all but rather came out of the oven as slightly brown blobs of uncooked dough.
Batch #3: Yeah...

Conclusion: EPIC FAIL

Solution: Oreos--a perfectly acceptable gift for the lil' bro.

That would be the Life!

2010-02-01T07:17:00.000-08:00

Yesterday morning I was perusing a story from last year's Washington Post. The story highlighted the life of touring Broadway performers. A few of the actors interviewed had been touring for years with certain shows. And as I read I just kept thinking, "That would be an AWESOME job! They're so lucky!" Taking a step back, I realized how often I look at other people's lives and professions and feel a teeny bit of jealousy over what they have. It could be their hours, their benefits, or even their actual responsibilities but I'm so often comparing my "boring" life to somebody else's.

But why?! Sure--teaching 200 middle school students the big ideas of American History might not be the most glamorous option for employment. But doggone it, I like it! And there are things about my job that should make other people pause and think, "That would be the life! She's so lucky!"

First and foremost, as everyone knows, teachers get the summer off. Woohoo! Now, I actually would prefer to teach a year-round schedule getting 3 weeks off here and there, but STILL. Loads of time off during the calendar year.

Second, my job is never the same. Yes each day is "teaching," but each day is actually a different format. One day I could be lecturing, another day we're doing a guided reading assignment in the book, and the next day we're reenacting Ellis Island. Its kind of awesome.

Third, every now and again you get a total boost from somebody--a student, fellow teacher, or a parent--sending along a sincere thank you for what you do. I'll emphasize this may be rare, but its kind of like seeing Mecca when it does happen.

Finally, being a middle school history teacher gives me opportunity to talk every day about one of my great loves--History. I really do love it. I love that I get to study what I love over and over again, and unlike in college--there's not really a test at the end. At least, not for me, I guess.

So really--life is good. I may not be up singing "Aida" every night in front of a well-paying crowd, but I do get to stand in front of a captive audience each day and perform a "dog and pony show" about US History. The only real difference is that my show rarely garners a standing ovation. And I think I'm okay with that.

You Should Try...

2010-01-23T12:02:00.000-08:00

...reading The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley. I first heard about this book on B's blog, then a Goodreads friend started reading it, and then my sister started reading it...and I finally got a copy. Absolutely, hands down, best book I've read so far this year. The narrator, Flavia, is hilarious and I laughed out loud on numerous occasions. And the mystery she's in the midst of? Fascinating. Seriously. Give it a try.

...eating one of Oroweat's new Sandwich Thins. These tasty little "buns" are only 100 calories! I used one for a grilled chicken sandwich the other night, and today had a classic PB&J. Stick your filling of choice between the slices and enjoy! Tasty, nutritious, and low-cal. Genius.

...watching The Brothers Bloom. If you like quirky off-beat humor, this movie is for you! I can't say enough how much I love this movie. Thanks to Redbox, my life will never be the same. I have been thinking about this movie, laughing about this movie, and quoting this movie since I watched it. If you think this film is funny, we can probably be friends. "I'm an epileptic photographer."

Someone Just Gave Me a Donut

2010-01-13T07:40:00.000-08:00

I really like it when my students are engaged in a class discussion or activity. Even though it requires more effort on my part to be up in front of the class leading a discussion or activity, I'm pretty sure they learn more and it makes my work day go by faster. This is what I concluded in the last two days. I also concluded that ending a class period with a Schoolhouse Rock video is sort of awesome.

Last night I went to the IKEA with Greg and purchased a new dresser and nightstand. I've been needing a dresser since approximately May 2005, so I'm just a little behind. A big thanks goes out to the Parentals, who let me borrow their truck, and an equally big thanks to Greg for lending me his muscle in getting the boxes out of the store, into the truck, out of the truck, and into my basement. Now let's just hope it doesn't take another 5 years to open the boxes and assemble the silly things!

For the third consecutive year, I rang in the new year at Hale Center Theater's New Years Eve BASH. This year our party consisted of me, Greg, Mariah, and Ryan. We were joined by other fun friends and family during various parts of the evening, and--as usual--it was a total blast! The show was The Importance of Being Earnest and its really one of my favorites. The sleepover and New Years breakfast of pumpkin french toast that followed weren't too shabby either.

Ryan, Mariah, me, and Greg--decked out for the New Years celebration!

Along with most of America, I've made a new committment to health and wellness for the new year and I'm finding a great deal of help from Bob Harper and Jillian Michaels. My new "favorite thing ever" is the Biggest Loser workout DVDs. I'm seriously hooked. Allie got me the Cardio Max edition for Christmas and it totally kicks my butt--in a good way. When I'm not burning it out with the Biggest Loser peeps, I'm making my way to the gym. And I really do love getting good and sweaty. At least I love it until that moment when two hot guys walk in to start lifting weights and you realize you look like a sweaty disaster.

I buy my fruit snacks in bulk at Sam's Club. I eat at least one package a day since they're a relatively non-threatening snack when you're trying to eat healthy. I started noticing yesterday that not all packages are alike in the number of fruit snacks one receives. Most packages have around 10 fruit snacks, but some are literally jammed with little gummy goodies. Today's package? 24. I have no answers, but my 10:15 snack break just got a lot happier.

The 2009 Top Ten

2009-12-31T16:23:00.000-08:00

It's time for everybody's favorite yearly rundown of my life. As always, totally odd to look back over the past 365 days and consider everything that has happened. 2009 did not prove as dramatic as previous years, but its definitely been busier than any other year I've made it through thus far.

And so, in no particular order, the 2009 Top Ten!

1. Relief Society President: I was called as the R.S. Pres in January and thus began one of the busiest years of life. The job is amazing and a great blessing, but the work never stops and is never done. Crazy.

2. The Stake musical: I'm a star!! Okay, so it was a lowly stake musical revue, but it was awesome to be back on stage--even if just the stage at a church building. Singing Popular as the somewhat-evil fairy godmother was delicious. And I had hot red heels on. Plus, I got to know some great people in my stake and tried some things I never had before. It was super fun.

3. National Boards: At the end of the last school year I was accepted as a candidate for the National Board of Professional Teaching Standards. The process is...insane. And on countless occasions I have wished I didn't get involved in the first place. But here I am--writing papers, analyzing videos of myself, going to epic classes, and working-working-working. I just hope it all pays off in the end.

4. National Parks Roadtrip: This summer, with Andrea's help, I finally visited one--in fact three!--National Parks. I love a good roadtrip and this one was a blast. And now I can cross Bryce Canyon, Zions National Park, and the Grand Canyon off the life list.

5. Family Changes: 2009 was a big year for our little "clan." We had three additions in the way of a niece, a brother-in-law, and another nephew--in that order. And how we love them all! I'll admit, though, its still weird to have my littler little sister married. Plus, my little big brother, Jon, headed out on his mission. Family life around the ol' Homestead is definitely a little bit different these days.

6. Moving Day: On October 31st, I moved out of the lovely townhouse I'd been inhabiting for over a year. Lori and Sam got hitched (YAY!) and so Erin and I got the boot. I moved into the basement of a delightful house further South. Best parts of this whole thing? My morning commute is only 7 minutes long now and I got a new bed!

7. Disneyland x 2: The family headed to California in February for a weekend in Disneyland. We had so much fun, that a smaller group of us headed back down in December for trip #2. I love Disneyland!!

8. Chastity Party: Party of the year. An uber-Mormon gathering of chaste singles celebrating their high moral standards with sugar overload and hilarious games/activities. If you weren't there, you wish you were.

9. Half-marathon Madness: I ran my first half marathon in April without my trusty running partner. To make up for it, Abby and I rejoined forces in August to tackle the Top of Utah Half. Each time has been really awesome, and I know I need to register for another one and jump back into training.

10. Nose Job: I promise it was not cosmetic, but June found me going under the knife to correct a "pre-existing medical condition." I discovered the joys of Loratab and the insane length of time it takes to really heal from nose surgery. Goodness. But things are much better now. Yay for medical advances!

I feel a need to at least make mention of some other things/events that made 2009 so memorable. And so, in our Honorable Mention category: Appearing on the front page of the newspaper, New York City, Jamba Juice first dates, Twilight RiffTrax, Crafting, Pedicures, and Glee.

Here's to a great 2010!

An Open Letter to Santa

2009-12-14T10:52:00.000-08:00

Dear Santa,

I hope you don't think I'm too old to be writing you this year. I don't consider myself too old and so I'm putting finger to keyboard and sending this letter along.

With that disclaimer out of the way, I want you to know I have tried to be very good this year. And though there have been a few missteps along the way, I think I've been doing a pretty good job. I'm getting along well with all my siblings and I don't think I've been flat out mean to my students even once. This is good, right?

Therefore--if its not too much trouble--I'd like to ask you for a few things this holiday season. And I know its within your power to make pretty much anything happen because I've seen Miracle on 34th Street at least 10 times and you got that little girl A HOUSE! And I'm not asking for anything that extravagant. I'll just hope and have faith that my few requests might be well received.

First, I would like snow for Christmas. But not so much snow that it keeps my little sister from coming home for Christmas. We really, really want her here. And she wants to be here too. Could you make sure she can come? The snow last year was, in a word, RIDICULOUS. We don't need that much. Ever. A nice dusting of snow, however, would be a magical touch to the holiday.

Second, I would appreciate a more active dating life. I'm not asking for a boyfriend for Christmas--or even a date. I'd just like you to use some of that Christmas magic and perhaps inspire more men to get on the ball...and maybe more of my friends to line me up with available, ambitious young men.

Finally, if its not too much trouble, I'm kind of in love with Fox's Glee. If you could stuff my stocking with the music and Vol. 1 of the first season, I'd be a very happy girl on Christmas morning.

Wishing a very merry Christmas to you and yours!

Tara

P.S. I'll make sure to leave extra-special, super tasty cookies and milk out for you. Fly safe!

It's kind of funny

2009-12-09T19:54:00.000-08:00

Is it weird how funny I find this? Because really--I find it hilarious. And I laugh my head off every time I watch it. And I do mean every time.

Tonight's Favorite

2009-12-06T19:26:00.000-08:00

Its cold in Utah. As in "frigid," "freezing," or "lick the lamppost and DIE" type cold. The kind of cold where somebody opens the door and two floors up your want to yell at them to close it. And its only December. Usually this debilitating cold waits until January or February to rear its ugly head. *le sigh*

But on these type of freezing cold nights my happy solace is in a steaming cup of hot chocolate, topped with 3 big marshmallows. It makes me cheerful and warms me to the core.

Happy Winter.

*I'd have posted a picture, but I drank it too fast.

When Life Gets You Down...

2009-11-18T17:59:00.000-08:00

...I guess its time to count your blessings!!

Weekend Adventures

2009-11-16T06:30:00.001-08:00

I've had many requests to explain my most recent Facebook status. For those of you not in my social networking circle, it said something like this: "Car leaking gas? Check. Fire department? Check. Sirens going? Check. Hot firemen? CHECK!"

Mysterious, no?

I would attempt to capture the incredible nature of my Saturday night, but why make such a herculean effort when Greg has already done it for me? Run, don't walk, to Greg's blog to read the exciting tale of one crazy night in Salt Lake City.

On a related note--Hot Tip! for anyone on a "No Treats" diet. You can easily sidestep this rule and get a luscious tasty treat any night, because those donut holes you're inhaling at Denny's are technically parading about as "Pancake Puppies," so...yeah. Brilliant.

My Adjective ABC's

2009-11-12T19:23:00.000-08:00

Absurd: The ab move the gym instructor wanted me to do on the Bosu Tuesday morning. You want me to balance on my hip while holding a giant exercise ball between my ankles and then do WHAT? Yeah. Right.

Boring: Sitting through 6 class periods of test-taking. Yes, at least I don't have to be in front of the class teaching, but I also can't put in my earbuds and watch Glee online. *sigh*

Comfortable: Getting in bed early to read a good book before bedtime.

Difficult: Planning out, preparing, and eating healthy meals. I'm really trying but sometimes its just so hard!

Elated: The fact that Thanksgiving break is mere weeks away. Thanksgiving means good food, family, Macy's parade, a "turkey trot" in some form, and time to really RELAX.

Festive: Listening to Christmas tunes in the car & on Pandora while brainstorming brilliant gift ideas and other ways to cultivate the holiday spirit.

Gruesome: The graveyard of cricket corpses lining the walls of my hallway. I smash them with my mighty shoe and honestly have plans to vacuum them up. Right now they act as a grim warning to any other insects who care to wander into my path.

Handy: My new living quarters being located in such a way that I can go to the gym and return home to shower and eat breakfast before going to work. I haven't had that set up in almost 3 years! Cold cereal has never tasted so good...

Irritating: The placement of the alarm button on my key fob. I have inadvertently hit the button--at the most inopportune times (i.e. 5:00 am, after work in front of the school)--on countless occasions.

Joyous: Having a beautiful temple only minutes from my house and being able to attend regularly.

Kaput: My favorite white blouse after an unfortunate incident with an obviously too-hot iron.

Lavish: The Chastity party, for sure. As well as most other parties I choose to throw. We all remember the grand Harry Potter Birthday Party of 2007, right?

Motivating: Watching this season of The Biggest Loser and getting great tips for my own gym visits. If they can lose 10 lbs in a week--so can I! Okay, so probably not. But maybe 1 lbs. a week?

Nice: Does not fly as a middle school teacher. You're much safer to strive for "fair" in order to gain a teenager's respect. I go one step further with "cold and aloof," but then I've always been an overachiever.

Outstanding: This first season of Glee. Each episode consistently succeeds in making me laugh and/or warming my heart. The music ain't half bad, either.

Peculiar: Taking over my 6 history classes again after my student teacher has been teaching for the past two months.

Questionable: Allowing myself to eat graham crackers while on a "no treat" diet. I decided I needed to have a few, small concessions. But isn't this form of cracker really more like a cookie?

Ridiculous: The fact that middle school students have iPhones.

Sparse: The amount of space left in my bedroom to store clothes and other life necessities. I think I need to purchase a BIG dresser.

Torpid: My energy level between approximately 12:30 pm and 4:30 pm. All friends/acquaintances/family/random strangers should be made aware of this general situation. Lack of education on this subject could be an ugly thing.

Upcoming: My trip to Disneyland with the parentals and little sis. We're celebrating little sis's birthday and I think she totally deserves this trip.

Vast: The list of treats I would like to eat. The list includes (but is not limited to) red velvet cheesecake, a big bowl from Frogurt, brownies right out of the pan, peanut butter bars, and a luscious Smart Cookie.

Wearisome: The continuous search for good fruit snacks. My last box by Member Mark (Sam's Club) was fabulous. The current box by Member Mark? Not the good kind. Why? WHY?!!

Xenophilic: I know I'm not alone in finding a fun accent--Scottish, Irish, Autralian--quite an attractive feature. For more information see this.

Yummy: Bread. I'll elaborate and point specifically at crusty artisan breads. I could probably eat an entire loaf without batting an eye. According to a survey done in our very own faculty room...bread makes you happy.

Zooming: My approach to the drive home from the gym. At least it would be if that annoying Subaru had not switched into my lane just before the turn and then insisted on driving at EXACTLY the speed limit all the way to my neighborhood. Grr...

Chastity is my Favorite!

2009-11-10T08:05:00.000-08:00

As the last party guest headed out the door, one glance around made it obvious this party was a rousing success.

Fairy doll in an aluminum foil chastity belt on the couch.
Sheri Dew talk on cassette entitled, "Living on the Lord's Side of the Line" on the bookcase.
Giant lavender granny panties arranged artfully on the floor.

No doubt about it--the 1st Annual Celebration of Chastity: White Knuckles and Chocolate, was totally Rockin'.

The Deal: Celebrate our ability to rein it in for so many years with a spread of luscious desserts and the company of good friends. Check out this post for a little more information.

The Event: A total success.

We had SOOOOOO many amazing desserts including a 14-layer cake (which more than one person referred to as the Pollyanna Cake), dump cake, coconut surprise (the surprise is there's no coconut!), delicious chocolate cookies, chocolate mousse, brownies, a chocolate fountain and much, much more. On the other counter, some more savory dishes like egg rolls, bread sticks, hummus, and veggies.

The Chastity Belt Design contest was a riot. Nate's "Poison Oak" number took the top prize--quite deservedly I think--with other entries ranging from jewel-encrusted to a mighty "VL Man" that looked something like Iron Man.The highlight of the night had to be the white elephant gift exchange. Each guest was encouraged to bring a "token of chastity" and the various gifts that showed up were hilarious. We had no less than 3 "Chastity" Dolls, a "Hope" frame with Jake Gyllenhaal inside, a homemade sword of virtue, a Chlamydia giant microbe (oh, the irony of getting chlamydia at a Chastity party!), pants, and a VHS copy of Saturday's Warrior--just to name a few.

Final Thoughts: I think everybody involved had a blast. And most people, it seems, are already looking forward to next year's Chastity bash. Such a satisfying thing knowing I had even a small part behind such a successful shindig. Party of the year, perhaps? Perhaps.

For more pics and a different author's perspective of the night, check out Greg's rundown here.

Exciting News

2009-11-09T10:47:00.001-08:00

A few clues as to why I've been so happy lately.

December 2009.
Disneyland here I come!

**With apologies to all my friends who have been or are currently expecting. It was just too easy to use the typical Blog birth announcement format.

Right click or Left click?

2009-11-03T10:26:00.000-08:00

About a year ago I became a district trainer on the "Teaching With Primary Sources" course. Its really a great class wherein we teach how to utilize the Library of Congress website, find useful primary sources, and then apply them in the classroom.

Its also a headache to teach.

As a general rule, teachers make the worst students. I don't have the sociology or psychology background necessary to explain this, but experience has taught me its true. Teachers do not listen. Teachers talk while the presenter is talking. And teachers definitely do not follow directions. But all of that doesn't bother me because when I'm in the "student" seat I act pretty much the same way. No, what bothers me is teachers who walk into this class without the smallest understanding of how to use a computer.

"What?! Our teachers can't use all this technology our tax dollars keep putting into the classroom?!" Shocking, I know, but in some cases it appears to be true. Not every teacher--in fact, not many teachers. But in every class I've facilitated there are one or two teachers who spend the majority of the two-day course asking asinine questions.

For example:
"I keep doing what you showed me to do and its not working."
"Did you go to 'View Source'?"
"No."

"How do I cut and paste?"

"Do I right click or left click?"
(This particular teacher asked this particular question Every Single Time he had to cut & paste. And we spend a lot of time cutting and pasting.)

"Where is Word?"
(The answer to that one was, "You're already in it.")

I'd like to take this opportunity, therefore, to make an official suggestion to our lovely government. Before creating one more hoop for new teachers to jump through, perhaps you should go back to the "old school" peeps and make sure they know how to do the basics. Because at this point, I have no doubt its our students leaving these teachers behind.

Highlights

2009-10-26T21:54:00.001-07:00

For the record, my life over the past 4 weeks has been Craziness x 10 and then some. Musical rehearsals came to an end as the show closed, and I immediately dove into other projects--namely moving to a new place and teaching a two-part Praxis Review class to teachers in the district. In between prepping, packing and teaching, I'm trying to finish up other projects and continue to live life and fulfill my day-to-day responsibilities. This is life, right?

I have, however, made time for some rather delightful diversions as well. To some degree these diversions have made the rest of life all the crazier, but they're just so fun I can't stop myself!

Friday night was the Stake Musical Cast Party. Good food, fun improv games, delightful chats with friends and a bizarre "encounter" to end the night. Memorable to say the least.

Saturday I was productive. I think I got a little help from The Man Upstairs since I decided to participate in a ward service project in spite of my crazy busy schedule. We got together and raked up leaves in some yards in the area, and ended up meeting a fabulous older man who really appreciated the help. Awesomeness. Oh, and then I ran around packing, cleaning, putting together my new "Big Girl!" bed (sans the spring washers. Hope that's okay...), and racing off to Salt Lake for the evening's adventures.

Saturday night, Greg-orio and I headed downtown to "An Evening with David Sedaris." Mr. Sedaris is one of my favorite authors and I was so excited to hear him speak. And I was not disappointed! After a fabulous dinner at the Vienna Bistro (yummy roladen, spaetzel and even live violin music from Vladimir) we headed over to the Capitol Theater's nosebleed balcony section. Sedaris is hilarious, but not in a stand-up comedian way. His writings and his observations are just so amusing! I loved it. And now I want to re-read all his books. If you haven't heard any of his stuff, I encourage you to listen to his NPR recording "The Santaland Diaries." You'll pee. SO funny.

Sunday night I sat in the dark and listened to Poe's "The Tell-Tale Heart" and got a little bitty bit creeped out. Spooky!

And yesterday I graded a student essay wherein the student wrote "drastically" like this: "Jarasticly." God bless America and our crappy regional accents.